Treading the Tides of Distress
by Desi-Pari Always
Summary: They've survived separation and they've survived the kraken-sort of. Now, Alina & Jack must face the greatest challenge of all; the EITC headed by Lord Cutler Beckett and the lingering temptation of immortality. Will their love survive the ultimate test?
1. We Begin Again

**Author's note: **you all deserve an explanation for being so patient and so absolutely wonderful and if you really want to know what happened then keep reading this note, if you really just want to get on with the story then continue to the next bolded text first as it contains some very important information. Here goes: After I had posted the end of Sweeney and that I would be working on this story next, I started planning but due to finals, I only had so much time. After finals were over, my family and I took a trip to India to prepare for my sister's wedding this June. My sister is 4 1/2 years older than me so we've never really been that close but as we grew up we grew closer and just when I thought we were actually starting to act like sisters I had to accept the fact that she'd be leaving us soon.

That really was not an easy thing for me to accept because the furthest she's ever been from me is the room next door. On top of that India was just plain stressful due to airline mishaps and completely self-absorbed people who have no idea how they come off to others (aka family members with that holier-than-thou attitude). After we got home my maternal grandfather died and I was thrown into work and school reading about two books a week and having a paper due each week as well. Overall I began to sink into a state of depression where I really didn't feel like doing anything at all (even homework). I cut back my hours at work and whenever I was alone, had myself a good cry. I'm still dealing with certain aftermath emotions and as my sister's wedding date draws nearer I can only imagine the emotional roller coaster I'll be on but now that the story's been started and fully planned, it should be that much easier to keep it going :)

**DO NOT SKIP THIS NOTE: **I have changed MAJOR canon events in this movie to fit my plans and to wrap up the series nicely. I won't be writing a fourth so this story could possibly be longer than the other two but it will definitely be more complex. Partly due to the fact that the third movie already has so many plot twists in it :) Oh yes and if you have a problem with Elizabeth bashing you may not like this story too much ;)

Disclaimer: you all know what I don't own and what I do, I'm borrowing the wonderful characters from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean for my own (and my reader's) amusement

NOW I'VE KEPT YOU WAITING LONG ENOUGH!

p.s. the chapter is a little over 5 pages long not including the lengthy author's note :)

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><p><em>"Some men have died, and some are alive, and others sail on the sea; with keys to the cage and the devil to pay, we lay to Fiddler's Green. The bell has been raised from its watery grave; do you hear its sepulchral tone? A call to all, pay head the squall, and turn your sail toward home. Yo ho, haul together, hoist the colors high. Heave ho –"<em>

_ "Theif! And beggar. Never say we die."_

Brandy was hard pressed not to jump when the grungy Asian man finished her song, '_part of the plan, it's part of the plan'_ she thought to herself.

"A dangerous song to be singing, for anyone ignorant of its meaning. Particularly a woman. Particularly a woman alone." The man smirked.

Hector Barbossa's voice interjected as he appeared from the steps above with Elizabeth Swan at his tail, "What makes you think she's alone?"

"You protect her?" The man ignored Elizabeth as another person of little consequence.

Brandy draped an arm across his neck and casually laid her pistol to his skull, "And what makes you think she needs protecting?" She drawled.

Hector smirked at her cheek, "Your master's expecting us and an unexpected death'd cast a slight pall on our meeting." Brandy gave a slight pout but tucked her pistol away none the less.

"Pick those feet up!" The voice of the navy general cut through the pirates' unconventional meeting, "On the double!" Brandy, Elizabeth and the group of men quickly left to find Sao Feng, one of the nine pirate lords, and current keeper of the mystical world maps. If all was going well, the rest of Jack and Alina's crew, including Tia Dalma should be readying their position.

"Can't say I'm too fond of the hurdy-gurdy music." Brandy commented as they passed the newly appointed (by her anyway) crew-mascot who had found entertainment from a music box.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at the inane woman and pushed her aside, ignoring the hateful glare, so she could speak to Barbossa, "Have you heard anything from Will?"

"I trust young Turner to acquire the charts and you to remember your place at least in the presence of Captain Sao Feng." He growled

"Is he that terrifying?" Elizabeth scoffed.

"He's much like myself, but absent my merciful nature and sense of fair play." He smirked at her disbelief and Brandy unintentionally paused for a moment, _fair my arse._

They paused at a set of large double doors for the man to give the password to enter and were asked to remove their weapons. Barbossa immediately complied and Brandy handed over the pistol she had previously revealed. All three made to step forward before being halted, "Do you think because they are women we would not suspect them of treachery?"

Barbossa smiled innocently, "Well when you put it that way." Brandy sighed and unstrapped her dagger and throwing knives hidden beneath her shirt as well as her backup pistol she had strapped to her thigh.

Elizabeth simply rocked on her heels and looked around innocently, "Remove please." The man ordered once more.

Elizabeth grunted and gave up several knives, two guns, a pistol, a bomb, and what looked to be a small grenade launcher. Barbossa watched curiously, attempting to decipher where exactly she put everything while Brandy cocked her brow in disbelief, "Seriously? What did you think was going to happen exactly?" Elizabeth looked innocently up at the ceiling once more. They moved to enter again but after Elizabeth's display they were stopped once more.

"Remove, please." The man smirked at her pants; of course they couldn't be too careful with their leader. Elizabeth gaped at them, appalled at what they were asking her to do but reluctantly acquiesced after a stern warning glare from Barbossa. Brandy, who was allowed to proceed without removal due to her compliance, passed Elizabeth with an incredibly self-satisfied smirk.

They moved to the back of the steam room, passing all manner of people – barnacled included – and waited to be acknowledged by Sao Feng. The man turned around to greet them, or rather the only one of them who really mattered, "Captain Barbossa. Welcome to Singapore." Barbossa acknowledged him with a grandiose bow and Brandy, quick on the uptake, smacked Elizabeth into doing the same as she curtseyed the best she could in pants. "I understand that you have a request to make of me." He continued approaching them after they straightened from their courtesies.

"More of a proposal to put to ye." Barbossa smiled, "I've a venture underway and I find myself in need of a ship and a crew." Brandy's brow furrowed in slight confusion, they had the Pearl's crew, so what was there a need for more?

"Hmm," Sao Feng scratched his scarred, bald head with disgustingly long, blackened nails, "It is an odd coincidence."

"Because you happen to have a ship and a crew you don't need?" Elizabeth jumped forward slightly in her excitement, forgetting her place as Barbossa had predicted. He threw her an irritated glance and she bowed her head, returning to her place behind him.

"No." Sao Feng replied, clearly unamused by her outburst, "Because earlier this day, not far from here a thief broke into my most revered uncle's temple and tried to make off with these." He held up a bound role that looked to be made of black-painted bamboo, "The navigational charts; the route to the farthest gate. Wouldn't it be amazing if this venture of yours took you to the world beyond this one?" Sao Feng looked at the trio knowingly.

"It would strain credulity at that." Barbossa grimaced.

Sao Feng nodded to two men in the background and they raised Will out of a crude torture barrel. "This is the thief. Is his face familiar to you?" All three shook their heads, Elizabeth slightly more uncertain than the other two. "Then I suppose," Sao Feng began, withdrawing a wooden fid, "he has no further need for it." He moved to slit Will's throat before Elizabeth's horrified gasp stopped him. "You come into my city," he hissed, "and you betray my hospitality!"

"Sao Feng," Barbossa attempted damage control, "I assure you, I had no idea-"

"That he would get caught!" The man raged, "You intend to attempt a voyage to Davy Jones' Locker, but I cannot help but wonder, why?"

Barbossa withdrew a coin and threw it to Sao Feng who caught it expertly. He blew the dust away and held it to his ear and realization swept across his features. "The song has been sung." Barbossa explained gently, "The time is upon us and we must convene the Brethren Court. As one of the nine pirate lords, you must honor the call."

"More steam." There was a pause as nothing happened, "More steam!" Sao Feng yelled, Brandy mentally smirked as she realized the men of the Pearl were in place in the boiler room with the weapons. "There is a price on all our heads, it is true. It seems the only way a pirate can turn profit anymore," he paused briefly to look carefully at Will, which Brandy found slightly disturbing if not foreshadowing, "is by betraying other pirates."

"It be time to be putting our other differences aside," Barbossa continued easily, "The first Brethren court gave us rule of the seas. But now that rule is being challenged by Lord Cutler Beckett."

"Against the East India Trading Company what value is the Brethren Court? What can any of us do?"

"You can fight!" Elizabeth and Brandy exclaimed together, stepping forward as if synchronized. Sao Feng's men moved to restrain them but he raised a single hand to pause them.

Brandy looked slightly disgusted that she and the princess were thinking on the same lines but continued none the less, "You are Sao Feng the pirate lord of Singapore. You command in an age of piracy where bold captains sail free waters. Where waves aren't measured in feet but in measures of fear and those who pass the test become legend."

"Would you have that era come to an end on your watch?" Elizabeth continued, "The most notorious pirates from around the world are uniting against our enemy and yet you sit here cowering in your bathwater!"

"I can see why you chose to have these women join you." Sao Feng commented to Barbossa feigning cordial, "But I cannot help but notice you have all failed to answer my question. What is it you seek in Davy Jones' Locker?"

"Jack Sparrow." Will interjected his two pence. The two concubines giggled and Brandy made a mental note to maim the womanizing pirate captain when she next got a hold of him.

Sao Feng's face contorted to rage once more as he huffed through his nose and ran his hand across the scar on the left side of his scalp, "The only reason I would want Jack Sparrow returned from the land of the dead is so I could send him back myself!"

"Jack Sparrow holds one of the nine pieces of eight, he failed to pass it along to a successor before he died so we must go and get him back!" Barbossa matched his rage in return thinking only about his sweet Chariste as he pushed himself into Sao Feng's face. He would rescue Jack for obligation's sake but his little Chariste should not have to suffer a moment longer because of the insufferable, callow fastilarian that was Jack bloody Sparrow!

Sao Feng looked curiously at Barbossa, "The last I checked, you hated the man almost as much as myself."

Barbossa stepped back slightly though his face revealed nothing, "I owe it to the bastard's father." He shrugged by way of explanation. He would not give Sao Feng the satisfaction of knowing about Alina. Besides that he had a plan, and Sao Feng could not know of Alina until he wanted him to know. And of course until he ran that plan by Alina first – a man only makes that kind of mistake once before learning his lesson.

Sao Feng's eyes widened for a moment before narrowing in on a man who's tattoo had begun to run from the steam. "So! You admit you have deceived me. Weapons!" He exclaimed.

Barbossa looked on in confusion, backing up further and spreading his arms wide in a gesture of good faith, "I assure you! Our intentions are strictly honorable." Six swords were shot out of the floorboards to be caught by the two women and Barbossa who looked at the Chinese pirate lord sheepishly.

"Drop your weapons!" Sao Feng ordered holding his own blade to the impostor's throat, "Or I kill the man."

Will, Elizabeth, Barbossa and Brandy looked at each other for a moment before agreeing to each other that they didn't know him. "Kill him, he's not our man."

"If he's not with you," Will began, obviously confused, "and he's not with us…who's he with?"

Suddenly the room was overrun with EITC soldiers and all manner of weapons were being brandished as battle commenced. Elizabeth threw a sword to Will who had managed to free himself and the company began making their way to the boats. Brandy and Barbossa split from the general group to find an easier route but were pursued by a lone soldier so Brandy parried around him and bent over while Barbossa appeared suddenly in front of the man's face screaming, "Boo!" causing the man to stumble backwards and trip over Brandy and into the river. As the two caught up to the rest of the company, Brandy briefly thought she saw Will and Sao Feng but passed off the notion as she was attacked once more.

Meanwhile Tia Dalma set a trap within the music box that had earlier caught Jack's attention and Jack along with Cotton's parrot set off a flaming rocket into the ammunition hut creating just the distraction they needed to board the Hai Peng. They were _finally_ on their way.

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><p><strong>REVIEWS ARE LIKE PROZAC ^.^<strong>


	2. Agendas

**HUGE Thank yous to: **QueenOfWeird1995 , AdaYuki , Violet Astra , angelloverkk , CissyJewel , storywriter1994 , and Kira for reviewing chapter one and of course to ThePurpleness for everything you do for me love and for inspiring me with certain parts of this story that will appear later ;)

**Author's note: **So! School is out for the summer, summer classes are over, my sister has been married, I have a new job that I like a whole lot better than my old one, and I am finally over my depression. I will definitely be able to write more haha, especially since there's so much down time at my new job that I'll need something to occupy myself. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for patiently waiting for me to update, I seriously don't deserve readers as great as you but thank you for sticking with me, I cannot tell you how much it means to me.

WITHOUT FURTHER ADO:

**YOU GET 9 PAGES FOR YOUR PATIENCE! :)**

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><p>James Norrington walked towards the captain's quarters of the <em>Endeavor <em>sullenly. True he had gotten more than simply his post back when he stole the heart from Jack and Alina and gave it to Beckett, but he was now second guessing his actions. Was it really worth the loneliness? He knew already that Elizabeth was lost to him, and by running away from the _Pearl_ – well no doubt Sparrow told Alina the very moment he discovered he had taken the heart so he had lost a friend as well. He had his station, he had the respect of the citizens of Port Royal; he had the esteem of his father, but was it good enough? Was power and prestige worth more than warmth and comfort? A feeling of unease settled over him and he realized he was standing at the cabin door.

"We don't want anyone running off to Singapore." Cutler warned his stooge as they glanced toward Governor Swann, "Ah, Admiral."

James made a note to look into Singapore later and what it may have to do with Elizabeth and her father as he stood at attention, "You summoned me, Lord Beckett." How he loathed to use that title to a man who didn't deserve half that credit.

"Yes." He quipped, his eyes motioning to a table to James' left, "Something for you there, your new station deserves an old friend."

James moved slowly towards the rectangular box and opened it delicately. Inside lay a sheathed sword with gold filigree laid into the handle. He heard the governor's sigh over requisition orders as he picked up the blade and felt the weight and strength of the full tang. Overcome with the delight of his old sword he unsheathed the folded steel blade and for the briefest moment, he felt like himself; his old self. The self that felt confident in his abilities and his place in life, who could walk down the streets of Port Royal with his head held high and his shoulders squared knowing that he had earned his way. With his back turned to Beckett, he allowed himself a small smile, which fell away instantly at the word, "Execution."

"The Brethren know they face extinction." Cutler supplied, "All that remains is for them to decide where they make their final stand."

James and Governor Swann shared a look of trepidation as they both understood Elizabeth's involvement. In the back of his mind, James also feared for Alina. He knew she would stand and fight against Cutler Beckett come hell or high water but without something to top the balance, they would all lose. Beckett would truly rule the waters and every last pirate would be wiped out of the waters forever. At one time in his life, the idea would have delighted him. But with time came experience, and with experience came knowledge. Not every pirate deserved death. Punishment yes, but not death. He would need to think of something, but in the meantime he had to accompany Cutler for a discussion with a supposedly mythical squid-man. When had his perfectly acceptable life taken a turn for the weird? _Bloody pirates_, he mused.

James led the company officers swiftly onto the _Flying Dutchman_ and was immediately met by the denizen crew. "Steady, men." He reminded those that faltered. They were the power at present, not Davy Jones.

"Go. All of you!" Jones ordered, "And take that infernal thing with you!" He yelled, emotion overcoming his voice as he was forcibly reunited with his own heart, "I will not have it on my ship."

James almost felt sorry for him. No one should have to take so much from an irate midget with a branding iron lodged in his-

"Oh I'm sorry to hear that, because I will." Cutler came forward, "Because it seems to be the only way to ensure that this ship do as directed by the company." Cutler stepped closer to Jones threateningly, "We need prisoners to interrogate, which tends to work best when they're **alive**."

"The _Dutchman_ sails as its captain commands." Jones hissed, almost daring Cutler to open the chest being held next to him.

"And its captain is to sail it as commanded!" He shot back, lowering his voice as he continued, "I would have thought you learned that when I ordered you to kill your pet."

James drew in a soft breath, he had known Cutler had done something to ensure there would be no backlash from the _Dutchman_ crew, but until now he had had no idea exactly what. He had to remind himself that Davy Jones was not a creature to be pitied. The man-beast had tried to destroy the entire crew of the _Pearl_ because of one foolish captain aboard it.

"This is no longer your world, Jones." Cutler smirked, "The immaterial has become…immaterial." He took a self satisfied breath before motioning the men holding the chest forward.

Jones took a step back and James again had to remind himself to check his sympathy. He led the men to the organ chamber of the ship, "Charge bayonets!" He ordered, "Keep it steady. Should there be so much as a twitch from any of you rest assured it will be your own life that suffers for it." James then went to receive his orders from _Lord Beckett_, having no idea how true his words really were.

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><p>Hector Barbossa sailed the Hai Peng expertly through frozen waters as they neared the gate to world's end. His mind wandered to Alina and what she must be suffering with that imbecile Jack. He found himself wondering what she would feel when she saw him alive and well again, whether she would be relieved or disappointed. He knew she had forgiven him, he had heard it before the last breath had left his body at Isle de Muerta two years ago, but what if her forgiveness was only brought on by pity for his dying soul?<p>

What would she say when she saw him again? What would she say when she saw he could never reconcile with Jack? What would she say when she saw his obviously growing fascination with the odd little purple-haired beauty? His eyes constantly shifted to her violently shivering form. He picked Jack up from the perch on his shoulder and gently nudged him toward Brandy. The monkey took his hint and curled up beside Brandy's neck, sharing what little warmth he could.

"No one said anything about cold." Hector heard Pintel complain.

"I'm sure there's a good reason for our suffering." Ragetti reasoned.

"Why don't that obeah woman just bring Jack back the same way she brought back Barbossa?" He huffed and Hector rolled his eyes skyward.

"Because Barbossa was only dead." Tia Dalma snapped at the overweight downer, "Jack Sparrow is taken, body and soul, to a place not of death but punishment. The worst fate a person can bring upon himself…stretching on forever." She drew closer to them, "That's what awaits at Davy Jones' Locker." She continued walking away having made her point.

"Yeah," Ragetti confirmed, "I knew there was a good reason."

Hector could not help but intervene with the asinine conversation, "Are you two idiots forgetting Alina Carter?"

"He's right. She ain't a lord so she can't come back can she?" Ragetti asked.

"But if she can't come back then Jack's gonna be all depressed again and what not."

"Well I mean she can't come back the conventional way but I'm assuming she can come back if we go to fetch her."

"But what would be the purpose of bringing her back? Not that I don't want her to come back but by the fates, what would they gain by bringin' her back?" Pintel countered.

"What would they gain by givin' any of us back?"

"I don't know but the lords at least have a purpose."

"Yea but by whose standards? What would the fates care if a few measly mortals died? More souls for them to feed on."

"The fates don't feed on souls you idiot."

"Yes they do! They-"

"Oh would you just SHUT UP?" Hector yelled. It would still be some time before they reached the locker and he could not handle much more of their back and forth, "If you two insist on continuing with your senseless drivel then I highly suggest you do so quietly before I **keelhaul** ya!"

"Thank you!" Brandy gasped toward Hector with a grateful smile. Hector lost himself for a brief moment.

"Do you care to interpret, Captain Barbossa?" Will asked.

"What?"

"Over the edge, over again. Sunrise sets, flash of green."

Hector snapped himself back to captain mode, "Ever gazed upon the green flash Master Gibbs?"

"I reckon I've seen my fair share." He replied, "Happens on rare occasion, at the last glimpse of sunset a green flash shoots up into the sky." His voice rose and fell as his story continued, "Some go their whole lives without ever seeing it. Some claim to have seen it who ain't. And some say…" He paused for dramatics but was interrupted by Pintel who was growing impatient with the overzealous storyteller.

"It signals when a soul comes back to this world, from the dead!" Gibbs glared evilly at the tubby pirate, "Sorry." He muttered.

"You never interrupt a storyteller, boys." Brandy smirked.

"Trust me, young Master Turner. It's not getting to the land of the dead that's the problem," He turned the rudder to sail towards an icy canyon, "it's getting back."

Will contemplated the captain's words as he moved back to his earlier position on deck. The rest of the day was mostly spent traveling in silent. No one wanted to expel any of the heat in their body by talking. By nightfall they had sailed free of the ice and had almost completely thawed out. They were now sailing through completely still waters with nothing but starry blackness in front of them. Brandy had gravitated towards Hector's station by the rudder as Jack the monkey began getting restless.

"It's so beautiful." Brandy commented, observing the perfect reflection of the water, "Like flying through a starry night."

"Aye, this has always been my favorite time to sail. The waters are almost always still and you can see twinkling stars as far as the horizon so long as there's not a cloud in the sky. Has a way of making a man feel magical, like he can be one with the gods." Hector replied.

"Have you always been this poetic?" Brandy smiled at him before walking away with her head turned; the stars were bright enough that he might have seen her blush otherwise. As she neared the front of the ship she noticed Will and Elizabeth standing tensely.

"Once we rescue Jack everything will be fine." She heard Elizabeth say.

"When we rescue Jack?" Will scoffed, "Or did you happen to forget your best friend? Then again perhaps you've replaced her as well."

Elizabeth looked sharply at him before scurrying off and Brandy hid behind the nearby mast before she could see her. She heard Tia Dalma, who had appeared from seemingly nowhere, mutter something ominous sounding to the grieving man and saw him promptly bolt towards their present captain. Brandy squinted and saw the misty waters ahead and followed Will quickly, wanting to know what the fuss was about.

"Barbossa, ahead!" He yelled.

"Aye, we're good and lost now."

"Lost?" Brandy asked.

"For certain you have to be lost to find a place as can't be found, dear. Elseways everyone would know where it was." He laughed.

"We're gaining speed!" Gibbs warned.

"Aye." Hector's smile turned manic.

"To stations!" Will ordered, seeing their captain would do nothing, "All hands to stations! Rudder full! Hard aport! Gather way!"

"Nay, belay!" Hector re-ordered, "Belay that! Let her run straight and true!"

The entire crew rushed to the front of the ship to see what was coming and saw the fate that no doubt awaited them.

"Blimey!" Pintel gasped.

"Pay up, it's flat." Ragetti replied, holding his hand out for the shillings he was owed.

"You've doomed us all!" Elizabeth yelled at Hector.

"Don't be so unkind, you may not survive to pass this way again and these be the last friendly words you'll hear." Hector replied, wrapping his arms around Brandy and holding onto one of the lines. She couldn't help but blush from within the circle of his arms as she held onto him with all her might.

"Tie her off!" Will bellowed.

"Hard to port!" Elizabeth screamed.

"Hold on!"

The crew shrieked in fear and Hector cackled with joy as the Hai Peng tumbled over the waters at world's end.

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><p><em>Sniff.<em>

_Sniff._

_Sniff. Sniff._

_Sniff. Sniff. SNIFF._

Jack saw the object of his torment; a lone peanut sitting on the rail of the ship. He looked to his right, then to his left, and snatched up the peanut as quickly as possible. Sitting down to enjoy his feast, he tucked a napkin into his shirt and lifted the savory morsel to his mouth, his tongue inching out to taste the glorious- _BANG_.

"My peanut." Captain Jack cooled his smoking pistol and tucked it away to pick up the discarded peanut. As he lifted the peanut to his own mouth, another set of lips enclosed over his fingers, stealing the peanut away. "Hey!" He pouted as Alina swallowed.

"Damn." She said.

"What?"

"It was a salty peanut. Now I'm thirsty."

"That's what you get for stealing my peanut, a dry, salty, unquenchable mouth."

"No that's what I get for believing you love me, an eternity in hell."

"For the last bloody time SHE KISSED ME!'

"Like you couldn't have stopped her?"

"I WAS HANDCUFFED TO A POLE!"

"MAINSTAFF!"

"EXACTLY!"

"WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING ABOUT?"

"…Haul the halyard! Slacken braces!" Jack shouted to the crew of his imagination. Multiple Jacks flew to follow orders while Alina watched on in amazement as the real Jack conversed with imaginary Jacks. Clearly the locker had gotten to him first.

"Jack I think we've lost a chicken." Alina humored.

"Pa-cawk!"

"And the goat is lonely."

Jack turned around flamboyantly and placed himself next to the imaginary goat where he proceeded to stroke its imaginary fur, "Baa." He purred. Alina slapped her hand over her mouth to suppress her fits of laughter and vowed to tell Brandy every detail if they ever escaped.

"Jack the tack line is simply abominable." She choked out when she could no longer bare the sight of him flirting with an imaginary beast.

"Shall I give a man another chance? That sort of thinking got us into this mess. And let this serve as a lesson to the lot of you!" He swung himself around, speaking to the crew of Jacks only he could see, "Doldrums, sir, has the entire crew on edge. I have no sympathy for any of you feculent maggots and no more patience to pretend otherwise. Gentlemen, I wash my hands of this weirdness." He grabbed a rope and swung down the sand below.

"About bloody time he snapped back." Alina raised herself from her seat at the mainmast, "Crazy, motley-minded wagtail." She swung down to join him and found him testing the air.

"No wind. Course there's no bloody wind! My soul I do swear for a breeze, gust, whisper, or a tiny miniature lick." He sniffed the air before turning rapidly to find a rock. Curiously, he picked it up and threw it as far as he could.

"Well that was productive. You just wasted an ounce of energy that could have been used to further endure this torture with me but no, instead you had to-"

"Yes, yes I know, but why," He interrupted her, "Why would he do that? Because he's a lummox, isn't he? Well, we shall have a magnificent garden party and you're not invited!"

"What?"

Jack turned around abruptly and fluttered his hands, "Shoo."

"I will _not_ shoo Jack bloody Sparrow and I-"

"Rock."

"What?" She watched as he made to sneak up on the offending round object before he picked it up and licked it. "Ew."

"A rock." He repeated and threw the rock once more, "Now we're being followed by rocks. Never had that before."

"I don't know if you mean 'we' as in you and me or 'we' as in you and your imaginary selves."

"Oh, a rope!" Jack stared for a moment and Alina growled low in her throat as Jack ignored her to tug on the rope and watch it expand to coil by his feet. He proceeded to throw his weight into towing his ship towards water. Rather he attempted to tow his 150 ton brigantine to a nonexistent horizon.

It was then that Alina noticed something peculiar. The rock was moving. She picked it up and examined it, but it appeared nothing more than an oddly smooth rock, possibly an oversized pebble. "Well if Jack chooses to ignore me at least I have you. You shall be my pet rock, and I shall call you Sir Crabbington." Suddenly the rocks feature burst outwards and Alina was holding an actual crab in her hands. "Gah!" She dropped the crab in surprise and watched as more came from under the sand and gathered under the Pearl to move her forward. "I have magic." Alina muttered in amazement before following after Jack and the runaway ship, "Come back Sir Crabbington!"

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><p><strong>P.S. <strong>I know there's a lot going on in this chapter, but I did mention before I was going to change major canon events and so those things had to be set up as well as I really wanted to get to a little Jack and Alina for you guys :)

Oh and look below! Reviewing has been made easier!


	3. Oh Captain, My Captain

**Thank yous to: **QueenOfWeird1995 , AdaYuki , Kira , Nairad , and of course ThePurpleness for reviewing chapter two

**Look! You didn't have to wait half a year! Or even half a** **month!** **(2500+ words)**

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><p>The <em>Hai Peng<em> was destroyed; its crew sprawled along an alien shore. They had arrived at Davey Jones' Locker.

"This truly is a God forsaken place." Gibbs muttered, gazing at the wasteland before them.

"I don't see Jack." Elizabeth scanned the horizon, "I don't see anyone. Are you sure they're both here?"

"They're here." Hector confirmed, waiting for his nemesis to appear with his Chariste, "Davey Jones never once gave back that what he took. Even that what he took unfairly."

"And does it matter?" Will accused, "We're trapped here by your doing, no different of Jack," Will's voice softened, "or Alina."

"At least he got us here you bunch of whiners." Brandy shot, "And I'm sure he's got a plan for getting us back, right?" She looked up at him hopefully from her sprawled position on the sand.

"Aye." He smiled, offering a hand up, "Jones had to collect the ship as well after all, not just its supposed captain."

"Supposed?" Brandy questioned before she registered his full statement and her face noticeably paled, "Please tell me there's not another waterfall."

Hector's deep laughter boomed in her ears, "I'm afraid that's a mystery to all, my dear. Now let's go find us a ship, no doubt Chariste will be there as well."

"And Jack?" Tia Dalma reminded, now holding a crab.

"Him too. I suppose." Hector grumbled.

"What is that?" Gibbs gasped.

"Impossible." Another crewman breathed.

"Boat." Ragetti pointed, clearly as dumbstruck as the rest.

Gibbs was the first to comprehend what they were seeing, "Slap me thrice and hand me to me momma! It's Jack and Alina!" The crew watched as the two rode the _Pearl_ towards them on a sea of crabs.

"It's the captains!" Pintel yelled triumphantly as Jack and Alina brought a dinghy back from where the _Pearl_ was anchored.

"A sight for sore eyes." Gibbs smiled, clapping his hands together.

"Hide the rum!" Cotton's parrot chimed, remembering the one order Jack had directly given to him in Tortuga.

"Jack!" Gibbs called, "Alina!" He held out an arm and Alina ran to hug him before embracing Brandy.

"Mr. Gibbs!"

"Aye Cap'n." He saluted Jack.

"I thought so. I expect you're able to account for your actions then?" Jack scolded a highly confused first mate.

"Dear God." Alina rolled her eyes.

"What?" Brandy asked, "What's going on?"

"Jack's even more mental than before."

"Is that possible?"

"There's been a perpetual and virulent lack of discipline aboard my vessel, why? Why is that, sir?"

"Sir," Gibbs began cautiously, "you're…you're in Davy Jones' Locker."

"I know that. I know where I am. And don't think I don't."

"I guess it's possible." Brandy interjected.

"Jack Sparrow." Hector finally made himself known. Alina stared at him in wonder. She didn't want to believe it because she couldn't bear for her eyes to deceive her. She stepped closer to him slowly.

"Ah, Hector! It's been too long hasn't it?" Jack smiled. Alina tentatively reached out a finger and poked Hector's nose.

"Chariste, what are ye doing?" He half scolded, narrowing his eyes to stare at her still extended finger.

"Teddy Bug!" Alina jumped excitedly into his embrace and squeezed him hard. Hector released the breath he didn't know he was holding and squeezed her back. He could ignore the snickers behind him if it meant Alina had truly forgiven him. _'Besides'_ he mused, _'I'll just make them pay later.'_

Jack furrowed his brow at the scene before him. If this was his delusion, why was Alina hugging the blighter? Then again, the locket was meant to torture. Teddy Bug? That name rang alarm bells in his head. But why? He wanted so much to make fun of that name!

"_If anyone so much as giggles at Teddy Bug for his name, they'll wake up dead!" Six year old Alina Carter warned. The crew, including Jack, chuckled regardless (or perhaps because) of her threat and everyone awoke to find leeches in their beds. Where she had found that many was a mystery to all but the message had been delivered loud and clear – don't mock Teddy Bug._

Jack shook his head to clear his muddled thoughts, "I feel as though I've missed something." He spoke softly, "Missed? Lost. Lost something? Something…lost."

"Your sanity?" Will supplied.

"He can't lose what he dun have." Hector added, much to Alina's amusement.

Jack glared momentarily before he caught sight of someone new, "Tia Dalma! Out and about eh? You add an agreeable amount of macabre to any delirium."

"He thinks we're a hallucination." Will finally noticed.

"Really?" Alina exaggerated, "Thank you Captain Obvious!"

"I'm captain!" Jack yelled.

"I've been trying to snap him out of it for hours now!" Alina paused, "Hours? Days? Months? Just how long have we been here?"

"Two months." Brandy pouted.

"William, tell me something." Jack spoke up, determined not to be ignored, "Have you come because you need my help to save a certain distressing damsel, rather, damsel in distress? Either one." He shrugged.

"No." Will smiled with a self-satisfied smiled.

"Well then you wouldn't be here would you? So you can't be here, QED you're not really here." Jack flourished his hands and presented them, palms up as if literally presenting the facts.

"Jack." Elizabeth spoke, alerting the duo to her presence, "This is real, we're here."

Alina immediately squiggled away from Hector's now restraining arms. "Elizabeth," she walked towards her with an icy glare fixed on her target, "I warned you to keep away from him. Do you have any idea what happens to those who double cross me?"

Elizabeth backed away in terror at the expression on her face as she pursued her much like a cat stalking its prey. From the tone in Alina's voice, no one was going to stop her and Elizabeth spared one frantic glance at Will who was standing too far away to do anything – not that he would judging by the confused look on his face as he watched the two. Before Elizabeth could open her mouth to scream at him Alina had pounced, knocking her to the ground with one swinging punch across her face.

"Oooh…hee, hee, hee." Brandy grinned maliciously at the evil blonde struggling to stand as she coughed up blood from the cheek she had bitten. Hector had regained his hold on Alina who had stopped struggling now that she gotten it out of her system…for now.

"I'm sorry." Elizabeth choked, accepting Will's hand up, "But we _have_ come to rescue you."

"Because that makes it all better." Alina rolled her eyes and turned her head as much as she could to face Hector who was still holding her arms behind her back, "You can let go now, I'm not going to kill her."

"I'd rather not take that risk." Hector chuckled, though he moved his hold across her chest to restrain her shoulders to ease her arms, and Alina held them affectionately as she leaned against his chest.

"Well this is all fine and dandy and very kind of you to attempt a rescue however it would seem that as I possess a ship and you don't, you're the ones in need of rescuing, and I'm not sure as I'm in the mood."

"I see my ship, right there."

"Can't spot it." Jack squinted in the direction Hector had nodded, "Must be a tiny little thing hiding somewhere behind the _Pearl_." Alina shook her head despondently. Those two would never stop.

"Jack!" Will interrupted, "Cutler Beckett had the heart of Davy Jones. He controls the _Flying Dutchman_."

"He's taking over the seas!" Elizabeth added, still clutching her possibly broken jaw.

"The song has already been sung, the Brethren Court is called." Tia Dalma added ominously.

Jack looked at the myriad of faces before him in disgust, "Leave you people alone for just a minute, look what happens, everything's gone to pot!" He squeaked.

"Well, Jack, what would life be without theatrics? At the very lease it gets us out of the locker." Alina smiled sardonically.

"Aye, Captains, the world needs you both back somethin' fierce." Gibbs looked to both affectionately. He had never known two people so wondrous before, and no one had taken it harder than him when both were thought to be lost. Not even Hector Barbossa, who had locked himself in his room at Tia Dalma's shack when he learned of Alina's falling.

"And we do need a crew." His co-captain pointed out.

"Why should I agree to sail with any of them?" Jack huffed angrily, "Four of them have tried to kill me in the past and one of them," he narrowed his eyes pointedly at Elizabeth, "succeeded in killing the both of us."

"What?" Will looked at Elizabeth, shocked.

"What?" Hector roared and unleashed his hold on Alina, who smirked viciously though she didn't move forward. Elizabeth took a cautionary step backwards regardless.

"Oh, she's not told you. Well you'll have loads to talk about while you're here. As for you…" He sidled up to Tia Dalma leaving Alina fuming.

"Now don't tell me you didn't enjoy it at the time." She smiled seductively.

"Fair enough, you're in."

"Nuh-uh!" Alina scoffed, "The first time ye hand-picked yer crew ye were mutinied upon, the second time they left you fer dead – though admittedly they came back – and the third time ye got chained to the mainstaff and left fer dead by a wench who can't keep 'er scurvy lips to 'erself! I pick the crew this time and I say NO VOODOO QUEEN!"

"Okay love, I can see you're upset."

"Really? What gave it away?"

"Well you slipped into your pirate tongue for one thing." When Alina glared harder he nodded, "Oh you meant that as rhetorical."

Alina growled.

"Either way, would you rather the voodoo priestess be on our side or working against us?"

"As much as I hate to admit it Lina, he's got a point." Brandy confessed, "We're going to need all the help we can get."

Alina took a moment to compose herself before responding, "Fine, she stays." She stalked towards Jack pushing him backwards with a jabbing finger, "But you so much as look in her direction and I'll fling you off the port bow!"

"Works for me." He clapped his hands together and turned to face the rest of the crew, "Now then! Don't need you." He pointed to Ragetti who slumped his shoulders in defeat, "You scare me." Pintel's reaction was to glare. "Gibbs, you can come. Marty, Cotton. Cotton's parrot I'm a little iffy but at least we'll have someone to talk to."

"Ragetti comes," Alina amended, "Pintel is stuck to him like glue so he comes too and how dare you entertain the notion of separating Cotton from his parrot! Not to mention you glanced over Hector and Brandy and I'll stop you right now – they're coming." She crossed her arms defiantly.

"But one of them's insane and the other _led_ the aforementioned mutiny against me!"

"They're coming."

Jack pouted as he turned to the remaining men, "Who are you?"

"Tai Huang. These are my men."

"Where do your allegiances lie?"

"With the highest bidder."

"I have a ship."

"That makes you the highest bidder."

"Good man."

Alina, Brandy, Hector, Gibbs, Marty, Cotton, and even Cotton's parrot all smacked their foreheads. Elizabeth and Will looked confused, and Ragetti and Pintel were still just happy that Alina had included them.

"What happens when a higher bidder comes along Jack?" Alina rubbed her temples.

"What's higher than a ship?"

"An armada?"

"Such as the one Cutler Beckett has?" Hector added.

"Weigh anchor, all hands! Prepare to make sail!" He ignored them.

"Weigh anchor!" The parrot repeated, flying towards the _Pearl_.

"Tell me again why you love him." Hector looked at Alina.

"I'm beginning to wonder myself." She sighed, trudging towards the ship. She only hoped the added frustration was due to the locker. She had spent so long fighting to be with him, she didn't know who she was without him.

Brandy looked on pityingly. Alina Carter didn't deserve this misery. For that matter, Jack Sparrow didn't deserve her. As her gaze dropped down, she spotted a lone crab sitting on the shore, also staring after Alina. It was then that she realized this crab hadn't disappeared with the others but had stuck by Alina's feet the entire time. An idea formed and Brandy picked up the crab, grinning madly.

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><p>"Alina, my compass is broken, you try." Jack pushed it into her hands once aboard the ship. She opened it tiredly and stared for a moment before shaking her head and handing it back, heading towards the crow's nest. Jack whined as he tried again.<p>

"Jack." Hector smirked, stroking the charts in his possession, "Which way you going Jack?"

Jack sighed in defeat knowing he needed Hector Barbossa's guidance to get out of Davy Jones' Locker.

"Trim that sail!" Hector ordered.

"Trim that sail!" Jack parroted.

"Slack windward brace and sheet!"

"Slack windward brace and sheet!"

"Haul a pennant line!"

"Haul a pennant line!"

By this point, Alina was watching from the crow's nest wondering what he was doing. Evidently, so was Hector. "What _are_ you doing?"

"What are _you_ doing?"

"No, what arr ya doin'?"

"What are _you_ doing?"

"No, what arrrrrrr ya doin'?"

Alina rolled her eyes and climbed back down to the deck, knowing there was only one way this argument would be settled.

"What are _you_ doing? Captain gives orders on a ship."

"The captain of this ship is giving orders."

"My ship. Makes me captain."

"They be my charts!"

"That makes you…chart man!" Jack stuttered, forgetting the title.

"Navigator you idiot." Brandy threw in before being hauled away by Alina.

"And Navigator reports to captain!"

"STOW IT! THE BOTH OF YOU! THAT'S AN ORDER! UNDERSTAND?" The two bickering men looked at Pintel, wondering what had gotten into him. His furrowed brow suddenly smoothed over and he smiled sheepishly, "Sorry. I just thought, with the captain issue in doubt, I'd throw in my name for consideration. Sorry!" He stepped back to Ragetti.

"I'd vote for you." He shrugged.

Alina and Brandy, having overheard everything, laughed heartily from the helm. Jack and Hector stared dumbfounded at the two women now wearing their hats. They patted their heads wondering how neither had noticed when they were looking at each other the whole time.

"While you two were fighting, I realized something." Alina smiled, "Hector while you _had_ the rights to the ship by mutiny, you were killed and your crew replaced therefore your claim to the ship is null and void."

"Ha!" Jack pointed a finger at him.

"Jack, while captainship rightfully belonged to you, you appointed me co-captain thereby equaling my power to yours. As such, being that I am the only one who voluntarily went down with the ship, I have revoked your captainship and have appointed Brandy as my co-captain." Jack's jaw dropped in disbelief and Hector chuckled, knowing he had taught her well. "First mate Gibbs!" She barked, "See to it that my two fine navigators find us a safe route to Shipwreck Cove."

"YOW!" Tia Dalma's startled cry could be heard by everyone and Brandy giggled.

"What did you do?" Alina looked at her suspiciously.

"I _may_ have…you know…_accidentally_…slipped a wayward crab down her dress." She mumbled the last part.

Alina gasped, her eyes growing wide, "Sir Crabbington!" She ran after Tia Dalma.

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><p><strong>Teddy Bug - <strong>This name came from a rather bizzare conversation between myself and ThePurpleness where we could not decide if we wanted to call Hector Barbossa our teddy bear or our love bug and thus was born our Teddy Bug :)

**INTERACTIVE! (slash shameless attempt for reviews)**

1) I have planned for Sir Crabbington to leave the story in the next chapter, should the leave be permenant or do you guys want him to come back?

2) What should Alina and/or Brandy (or any other character) do to torture Elizabeth next or as the story progresses?

All ideas are welcome, and I will give credit for any and all ideas I use

**P.S. **Did anyone catch the other movie reference made in chapter two? Hint - Ragetti


	4. Empathy

**A/N: **As promised, seeing as the Huskers totally dominated Arkansas on Saturday (42 to 13) here is the next chapter of pirates! (If you have no idea what promise I'm talking about you should go check out the Willy Wonka story I started earlier this week as a birthday present to ThePurpleness - one chapter away from completion that should have been completed on Saturday but of course I'm running behind schedule as usual and will instead be completed on Monday)

**Thank yous to: **QueenOfWeird1995 , Prettyangel18 , AdaYuki , MirandaNoles , and storywriter1994 for the kind words

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><p>Alina had known it was a long shot for Jack and Hector to cease their bickering since she took the most important dispute away from them with eighty percent of the crew cheering for Alina's brilliance. The other twenty were surviving members of Tai Huang's crew and didn't care to cheer or were too terrified of Jack and Hector to express their approval. Elizabeth hid below deck after the decision was made, fearing she might be keelhauled or marooned in the locker.<p>

Jack and Hector were now not so subtly fighting for dominance by way of telescope and Brandy tried to suppress her giggle when she saw Jack's teeny spyglass.

"Boys." Alina drawled, "I have an easy way we can settle this." When both turned curiously towards her she continued, "Well I already know Jack and I'm sure Hector wouldn't be too put out if Brandy here took his measure. Then us girls could compare." She smirked evilly.

Jack looked disgusted at the thought of being compared to Hector, Brandy choked on the saliva she had just swallowed, and Hector's cheeks filled with blood only serving to confirm Alina's suspicions. She had seen the two continuously glance at each other and she could have sworn she saw Brandy linger when she snatched Hector's hat earlier – though admittedly, it could have been hesitation from fear. Nevertheless, at least on Hector's part, there was something there.

"Now that's just wrong, love." Jack grumbled.

"Don't you 'love' me, Jack Sparrow. Now after the way you sidled up to the undead bitch." Alina's opinion of Tia Dalma had only worsened after the woman had thrown Sir Crabbington overboard muttering something about a traitor.

"Undead?" Hector questioned.

"Tell me she doesn't look like something chewed her up and spit her back out."

"Jealousy is not a flattering color for you, Chariste." He chuckled.

Alina rolled her eyes and grumbled childishly to herself. She knew he was right, he usually was; but she couldn't let it go. What had Jack _ever_ seen in that woman-thing? Her moody thoughts were interrupted when Ragetti jumped three feet in the air with a disgusted cry.

"Eerie." Pintel commented, no worse for wear from the sight before them, "That's downright macabre." He added, remembering Jack's use of the word earlier. Alina looped a knot around the wheel and joined the gathering crew at the rail.

"I wonder what would happen if you dropped a cannonball on one of 'em." Ragetti chuckled. The two paused to look at each other and turned excitedly to get cannonballs until they noticed the group of people standing behind them and staring at them incredulously.

"Be disrespectful it would." Pintel reprimanded with a semi-innocent smile towards the crew who simply rolled their eyes and looked over the railing for themselves.

"They should be in the care of Davy Jones." Tia Dalma informed, her voice thick with emotion no one thought possible, "That was the duty him charged with by the goddess Calypso. To ferry those who die at sea to the other side." She turned back to the bodies floating in the water so no one could see the soft smile on her face, "And every ten years, him could come ashore to be with she who love him, truly." Her voice turned hard once more, "But the man has become a monster."

"So he wasn't always…tentacley?" Ragetti asked, mimicking the appendages by wiggling his fingers under his chin. Alina nudged him in the ribs at his lack of respect for the legends of old.

"No. Him was a man, once." She smiled again, this time for the crew to see, and Alina's suspicions about the woman grew. Her eyes narrowed when she saw Hector speculating the woman as well which only served to further her anxiousness and earn a pounding in her head. There were too many damn plots going on behind her back!

"Now it's boats coming." Ragetti nodded towards the oncoming dead.

Mr. Gibbs began loading his musket before Will stilled his hand, "They're not a threat to us, am I right?" He looked to Tia Dalma for the answer.

"We are nothing but ghosts to them." She confirmed.

"It's best just let them be." Hector added solemnly hugging Alina close to him when he saw the concerned look on her face.

"What happens to those with no guidance?" She asked Tia Dalma, momentarily forgetting her hatred of the woman.

"Nothing. Davy Jones was meant to ferry them to ease them crossing. To give them peace. Those without him help are left to find them own way. Only to find rest by chance."

"And when did Jones stop doing his duty?" Alina's eyebrows furrowed.

"Some time before any here was born."

Alina swallowed thickly as she thought about her own father. Gibbs had told her he had scuttled himself and if Jones hadn't been doing his duty that meant for all she knew her father could be wandering the endless seas even now. She may have held a grudge with her father for sending her away but that didn't mean she didn't still love him. She was her father's daughter after all. She looked out at the endless dead and felt her heart break for all the others from whom peace was snatched.

Twin girls sat in one boat, staring forward into nothingness. A watchman floated behind them in a second boat; an old fisherman; a captain; a young boy who no doubt had dreams of being just like his father. Alina's eyes fell upon a man in a distinguished old man in a heavy blue coat and wearing a powdered wig and a black hat with gold trim, decorated with black plumage. She could no longer withhold her tears and they fell silently down her cheeks.

"It's my father." Elizabeth gasped, "We've made it back! Father!" She called to him, "Father here, look here!" Alina turned her head into Hector's chest to hide her grief. Despite the wrong buried deep in her heart from Elizabeth's actions, even then she could not hate the woman in this moment.

"Elizabeth." Jack looked at her sympathetically, "We're not back."

Elizabeth looked at him in disbelief, not understanding what he was telling her for a brief moment before the horror overtook her face, "Father!" She called more desperately.

Weatherby Swann looked around dazedly, "Elizabeth? Are you dead?"

"No." She shook her head violently, "No!"

"I think I am." He replied calmly.

"No you can't be!" Elizabeth slammed her hands on the ship's railing and gripped it tightly.

"There was this chest, you see, this heart. At the time it seemed so important." Alina removed herself from Hector and wiped her eyes, coming to the rail beside Elizabeth to look at Governor Swann one last time.

"Come aboard!" Elizabeth tried.

"And the heart." He continued, failing to acknowledge her, "I learnt that if you stab the heart, yours must take its place…and you will sail the seas for eternity." Jack drank in the words of the late governor, "The Dutchman must have a captain. Silly thing to die for."

"Someone cast a line!" She screamed at the crew. Only Marty moved to help her as the rest realized the pointlessness, "Come back with us!" She tried again.

While the rest of the crew were preoccupied with the frantic woman, Tia Dalma reiterated her words to Will from almost two years before, "A touch of destiny."

"Take the line!" Elizabeth threw a rope over to her father's boat.

"I'm so proud of you Elizabeth." He was beginning to float further away from the ship now, "And Alina. I know you think I'd forgotten you after the entire debacle with Sparrow. The truth is you remind me entirely too much of my late wife. Sometimes I wondered if you weren't really my daughter all along despite the fact that you were a handmaid." He chuckled as the rope began to slip into the water.

"Father! Father, the line! Take the line!" Elizabeth ran to keep up with her father, ready to dive after him if need be.

"She must not leave the ship!" Tia Dalma warned, and the entire crew ran to stop her.

"Father! Please come with us! Please! I won't leave you!" Will pulled her back firmly onto the ship and restrained her in a desperate hug.

"I'll give your love to your mother shall I?" Weatherby called as he floated into the mist.

"Please, I won't let you die!" She called over Will's shoulder who turned to Tia Dalma whispering if there was a way to save the man.

The priestess shook her head morosely, "Him at peace."

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><p><strong>Review please!<strong>


	5. Squaring Off

**Thank you to: **QueenOfWeird1995 , AdaYuki , and of course ThePurpleness and to prettierthanlegolas (love your name by the way) I'm glad to have you on board ;)

**ThePurpleness: **you forgot to heckle me at 6pm! Well at least it's still Sunday lol

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><p>It had not been too much longer before they had cleared the sea of dead and were now sailing through mercilessly dry heat. Pintel hefted a bottle to his mouth and sighed into the cracked glass, "No water. Why is all but the rum gone?"<p>

"Rum's gone too." Gibbs supplied dejectedly looking towards Jack who was seemingly pouring over the maps, unaware of Alina coming up behind him. She lifted a hand to tap him on the shoulder but seemed to think better of it – judging from the movement of Jack's lips, she must have been listening to his nonsensical monologue.

"If we cannot escape these doldrums before night," Tia Dalma warned, "I fear we will sail on trackless seas, doomed to roam the reach between worlds, forever."

"With no water, forever looks to be arriving a mite too soon." Gibbs answered sarcastically.

"Well ain't they just two bloody rays of sunshine." Ragetti mumbled.

"What we need's less sunshine anyhow." Pintel argued.

"I realize that but I was making a sarcastic commentary on their lack of faith or hope."

"Well don't. No one wants to hear you spout on about what you think you can read."

"I can so read! Alina's been-" Ragetti was rudely cut off by an empty bottle being shoved in his mouth.

"You want one too?" Hector held another bottle threateningly towards Pintel who quietly shook his head 'no', so as not to further anger his irate former captain. Hector grumbled at the lost opportunity and moved to stand with Brandy at the rail, leaving the charts to Jack.

Meanwhile Jack was indeed conversing with his inner thoughts, unknowingly speaking a third of them out loud much to Alina's confusion. _This is the trouble with eavesdropping;_ she thought with a pout, _you never get the whole damn story. _

"Up is down." Jack muttered, rotating the charts in front of him, "Well that's just maddeningly unhelpful. Why are these things never clear?" He pressed his face further into the wooden framed parchment before snapping back up, "What? Eh? Come again? …That's even more than less than unhelpful." Alina was about to give up and talk to him when he said something that caught her attention, "I love the sea." She looked at his wistful expression as he dazed on, "Port? I prefer Rum. Rum's good. No need for salty. Alina's good. Perfect really. Mine?" He glanced up and cocked his head like a seagull, "I should take care of that." He nodded his head in confirmation, "Once every ten years."

Alina could not suppress her gasp. Would Jack honestly consider choosing immortality over her? For a second it had seemed like he was actually coming back! She moved to interrupt once more when he seemed to have an epiphany of sorts, "Not sunset, sundown!" He rotated the charts, "And rise up! What's that?" He suddenly sprinted to the side of the ship and pointed out until the rest of the crew followed him, "What is that? I don't know, what do you think?"

"Where?" Gibbs asked.

"There!" Jack ran to the other side and back with all but Alina and Hector, who took a turn looking at the charts, following him endlessly.

"He's rocking the ship!" Pintel worried.

"We're rocking the ship!" Gibbs realized.

"Aye, he's on to it!" Hector exclaimed, smiling next to Alina who rotated the charts a moment and looked at Jack in awe. His mad ramblings actually got them somewhere. She rolled up the charts and secured them beneath her belt before joining the exercise. She briefly saw Pintel and Ragetti somehow manage to tie themselves upside down to the mast and would have laughed had she not been so winded.

"Time it!" She heaved, and made a mental note to get back in shape when the time permitted.

"Time it with the swell!" Hector helped, "Loose the canons ya lazy bilge rats! Un-stow the cargo, let it shift!" Two men were flung overboard as the rocking gained momentum and all Alina could do was keep her head down, crouch low, and push her legs harder. Suddenly, her arm was yanked backwards and she was painfully thrown into Jack's embrace as he clung to the ship's rail still looking dazed and loony.

"Now up, is down!" He chirped as the ship tumbled violently onto the water. The weight of the ship and the turbulence of the disrupted water would have been enough to shake Alina loose had Jack not managed to close the gap between himself and the rail, leaving Alina nowhere to go. She quickly readjusted her grip so as not to place more weight on Jack and tried to take stock of who had managed to stay with them.

She was happy to note that everyone who mattered to her was easily visible in the clear water and not one was missing. Ragetti was happily right side up with Pintel at the mast and Gibbs was clutching a rope with some of the Hai Peng crew. Monkey Jack was unhappily clutching to the back of Hector's coat with his front two paws and holding on to Hector's hat with his back two. He glared at Brandy who had her arms around Hector's neck and her legs around his waist while Hector himself prayed to the heavens that his quaking arms wouldn't give out, after all, he hadn't had much chance to build his upper body strength since being cursed, killed, and brought back to life.

Marty had squished into a barrel that was still tied to the deck and Alina could barely see his feet poking from the top and his finger sticking out from a knot in the wood. Cotton was gripping the flag pole with his thighs as he held to his parrot with his arms and Alina almost lost precious air to laughter when she saw Will (who had ended up closer to the stern somehow) had both his arms completely wrapped around the helm rail while Elizabeth clung to his left leg.

Finally, a blinding green light engulfed them all and they felt gravity shift to no longer pull, but crush them unmercifully to the deck. The last of the water flooded from the ship and the crew spluttered as all but Pintel and Ragetti, still upside down against the mast, righted themselves. "This was your idea." Pintel complained.

"Blessed, sweet Westerlies. We're back!" Gibbs laughed, unsurprised yet still amazed that Jack's plan had worked.

"It's sunrise." Elizabeth connected to dots from Jack's mutterings, and as if a signal were given, guns were everywhere. Even Monkey Jack had a tiny pistol pointed at Cotton's parrot who squawked a pathetic 'parler' before Alina snatched the weapon and tapped Jack on the nose with a firm "No." The monkey went to sulk on Hector's shoulder.

"Alright then!" Hector announced, "The Brethren Court is a-gathering at Shipwreck Cove, and Jack, you and I are a-going and there'll be no arguing that point." Alina felt slightly put out that her captainship was being ignored but chose to stay silent as Hector had said nothing she didn't agree with.

"I is arguing that point." Jack smirked, "If there's pirates a-gathering, I'm pointing my ship the other way." Alina opened her mouth to interject when Hector beat her to it.

"This ship has been claimed in the name of Captain Alina Carter so what say we ask her?"

"I mutiny the captain!"

"Jack!" Alina and Brandy growled at the same time.

"Ye canno' lead a one man mutiny, ye'd sooner be keelhauled!"

"I am not one man, I am many! Plus I have those fine gentlemen behind me." He gestured to the men of Hai Peng.

"Our loyalties never waiver from the team." Tai Huang smirked, "You are outnumbered. We follow the captain."

"Because that's not ominous and disconcerting what-so-ever." Alina mumbled.

"Mumbler!" Jack yelled, swinging his pistol to face her before even realizing what he was doing. His eyes widened at his own action and he moved the gun back to the square of people before him.

"The pirates are gathering to fight Beckett and you're a pirate." Elizabeth stated, now pointing both her pistols at Jack.

Will copied her action, "Fight or not, you're not running Jack."

"Alright everyone just SHUT UP!" Brandy screamed after Alina gently nudged her for help. She gestured for her friend to take the lead.

"Thank you, love." Alina smiled, moseying up to the four people choosing to ignore her, "Now first things first." Moving quicker than anyone had anticipated, Alina snatched the four pistols from Elizabeth and Will. "Jack and Hector cannot be killed before The Brethren Court is gathered, they are both lords and must be represented or have you forgotten the reason they are both presently alive? Now, since you've no weapons I suggest you both step aside like good little insignificant worms."

As the two moved to follow her commands, Alina positioned herself to stand directly between Hector and Jack so that neither could shoot without potentially harming her. "As for you two," she continued, "neither needs to be reminded that on a ship, the captain is GOD. As captain I'm telling you that we are headed to the Brethren Court. Hector, if you harm Jack in any physical way without my permission you'll find yourself back on the receiving end of my cold shoulder and Jack, if you _dare_ double cross me again ye'll find a dagger in yer gullet." She glared.

"You just said I couldn't be killed." He gulped.

"I know yer token Jack. And there be nothing stopping me from taking it and claiming me lordship. Yer on _very_ thin ice Sparrow." She stormed back to the helm and directed the ship to where Gibbs had informed her lay Shipwreck Cove.

Hector faced Jack once more, "If we don't stand together they'll hunt us down, one by one, until there be none left, but you."

Jack's eyes glazed over once more as he lost himself, "I quite like the sound of that. Captain Jack Sparrow, last pirate."

For a moment, Hector was aghast. While Jack had never exactly been someone he liked, on some level he had respected his fellow pirate. There was no arguing the man was a bloody genius at thinking on his feet, and though his methods weren't always conventional, he had survived this long with two-thirds of the world after his blood. Now however, Jack had actually lost his mind. He no longer cared about anything besides himself. Or even if he wasn't completely there, he was well on his way to being just like every other pirate there was. Chariste had saved his own soul from that path, but she had slipped in keeping Jack away from the temptation of the dark.

Hector couldn't care less if Jack believed his delusion, but he owed it to Alina to give her one last chance at happiness, "The last pirate with nothing nor no one to live for, Jack. No one to hold at night and no one to save you from the endless abyss of empty waters. Oh and you'll be fighting Jones alone, how does that figure into your plan?"

"I'm still working on that. And if one pirate can survive, why can't two? And I will not be going back to the locker, mate, count on that."

"The problem with two pirates surviving you blithering clotpole is that _every_ other pirate is facing off with Beckett. So ye can step up and be the man Alina brags ya ta be or ye can live the rest o' yer pathetic existence in emptiness." Hector joined Alina at the helm, "Chariste, I know the way to the cove so if ye'll trust me to steer the ship, I believe ye need to talk with yer idiot." He grumbled.

"Thank you Hector." Alina smiled. She hugged him tightly, knowing the battle that raged in his mind for being nice to his nemesis, and marched over to Jack. Grabbing his arm, she dragged him below deck so they could have a chat in the captain's cabin.

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><p><strong>Next up: <strong>the long awaited discussion between Alina and Jack! And what does a certain someone have to reveal to a certain captain about certain feelings regarding certain matters surrounding another certain someone eh?

review please!

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	6. Mental Strains

**A/N: **Woo hoo! I've actually updated on time! I feel like this chapter is pretty heavy so be warned, there's A LOT going on. Oh and this chapter spilled over to eight pages (little more than 2300 words)!

P.S. I'd like to clarify before you read this that I have nothing against Disney movies/princesses in fact I love them to bits. (You'll see what I mean)

**Thank you: **QueenOfWeird1995 , AdaYuki , Afrika Sisi , and ThePurpleness

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><p>"Ow." Jack grumbled, rubbing his arm after being thrown into the captain's cabin. Alina slammed the door behind her and faced Jack with her arms crossed, too angry to speak. "You know love, red is not really your color." He smiled and gestured to her face. Alina closed her eyes and released a tortured breath, slumping her shoulders in defeat. "Much better." Jack smiled as her normal pallor returned.<p>

"Is it really Jack?" She fell on the bed and stared up at him, "I'm miserable Jack. Is miserable better than angry?"

"I'd rather you neither." He paused before chuckling at his almost-rhyme, smiling into her eyes as if he were six.

_As if he were six._

"Oh Jack." Alina felt like crying as she placed a tender hand on his cheek, "What did the Locker do to you?"

"Locker?" He looked at her questioningly, "Lock-her? LocK-ERR. Locket? Lock…it! Ali, close your eyes!"

"Jack, please." She begged him to comprehend something.

"Ali-bear! Eyes closed!" He pouted, a mock glare on his face.

Alina closed her eyes reluctantly. She heard rustling about the cabin and the tell-tale 'click' of the secret panel in one of the bed-posts. Jack didn't know Alina had found his secret hiding place years ago when ransacking the room for her birthday present. _Her birthday_. It had passed while they were in the Locker. Jack's was coming up soon.

"No!" Jack cried, his voice cracking with emotion, "It was right here! Did you already find it?" He pointed an accusatory finger at her when he saw her eyes open again.

"Jack?"

"You founded your birthday present and now you're playing a mean trick! You know it's not a proper present till I give it to you!"

"Jack, how could you possibly remember it was my birthday?"

"I always remember, remember? I maked up a song after the last time I forgot and you were mad with me a whole two days! I don't like when you're mad with me." He sat next to her, leaning slightly to feel closer.

"I don't either Jay-bird."

"Alina born in April, Jack was born in June, they both came in the second week, smiled bright just like the moon!" He swayed back and forth as he sang his little song happily.

"I love you Jay." She smiled and hugged him tight, tears finally spilling over when he clutched her desperately.

"Don't cry Alina. I'm here. I'll always be here." He whispered, tears spilling down his cheeks as well.

"Jay? You crying?" She teased.

"What?" He scoffed, pulling back and scrubbing at his face, "Course not! Boys don't cry! Oh! I gotta find where your present went!"

"Jay, wait!" Alina leapt up from the bed and caught him by the door and before she could second guess the ramifications of her actions in his current state of mind, she cupped his face and pressed her lips to his.

At first he pulled back, the surprise freezing his lips in a confused pucker, but when Alina clung tighter to the soon-to-be twenty-six year-old man in front of her and massaged his lips with hers, he began to respond. He sucked in a loud breath from his nose and pressed Alina's chest to his. Her hands rose from his shoulders to tangle fingers in his dreadlocks and massage his scalp. Slowly, his eyebrows unfurrowed and his back relaxed and Alina's fierce possession turned into gentle reward.

"Stay with me." She breathed into him when the need for air became desperate, "Stay with me Jack. Jay. Please. You're drifting. Please stop drifting."

"I'm here Lina. I haven't gone anywhere." He whispered back, forehead still pressed to her by her own hands.

"But you have." She heaved, begging herself not to cry anymore for this man.

"I'll try not to." He whimpered.

"Try harder."

"Hook-hand promise." He smirked, curving his left palm in imitation of the duo's favorite childhood villain.

She laughed quietly and clasped his faux-hook with both of her hands, pressing it to her heart, "Just do it. I can't take much more of this flip flop Jack."

"Can I ask one question?"

"Hmm?"

"Why the Brethren Court?"

"Jack?"

"I just don't want to go there. Do you _know_ how many people want to kill me there?"

Alina backed up and massaged the bridge of her nose, "Alright spill it. What's got yer knickers in a knot bout the Brethren?"

"When me da retired, he opted to be the keeper o' the code." He mumbled, "I just hate the idea of depending on that man for anything."

"Who says you'll even have to speak to him?"

"Mmm-I'm not sold."

"Jack, we're not at market, and I'm not one to barter."

"But-" Jack was interrupted by a knock at the door.

"Alina?" Brandy poked her head into the cabin, "You guys have been down here a while and I'm sorry to interrupt but, do you have a moment?"

"Perfect timing actually, Jack was just about to get back on deck so of course Brandy, what about?"

Jack grumbled at being kicked out of his own cabin yet again as he closed the door behind him.

"Hector Barbossa." She muttered quietly, worrying her lip and shifting her eyes around the room.

Alina smiled knowingly and moved to reassure her friend when she was interrupted by another knock, "Were yer ears burning, ya old devil?"

"Who ye callin' old, little missy?" Hector glared, "I saw the pea-brain pacing upstairs, I figured you were free to give some direction and what were ye discussing with yer girly talk anyway?" He shifted his eyes to a blushing Brandy.

"Well, I was telling Brandy what a fine example of a gentleman pirate you are and was about to describe in great detail the many wondrous qualities of yours I admire and adore." She mock-swooned into his arms and he pushed her away, tweaking her nose for making fun.

"Sorry darling, yer not my type."

"Well damn, I suppose I'll settle for the pea-brain. What direction were you needing?"

"We need to find a place to restock since anything we had stored is either lost or drenched in salt water, so we need the map."

"Sorry Teddy-Bug but I don't trust you and Jack as far as I can tow this ship with a rope."

"What?"

"Never mind. Point is, map stays with me so Brandy, I shall return." She marched passed Hector and into the awaiting semi-circle of men above deck.

"There's a freshwater spring on this island, we can resupply there." Will pointed out once the map was laid out. Hector nudged Alina as he concentrated his eyes on Will. The boy had found this island fairly quickly considering the map had been with Alina the whole time. Alina squeezed his arm in understanding.

Jack turned to Hector with a smirk, "You lead the shore party then, I'll stay with my-err, Alina's ship." He amended, seeing her face scrunch towards him again.

"I'll not be leaving the ship with you in command." He scoffed, squinting his eyes as if to say he was watching closely.

"Why don't you both go ashore, and leave the ship in Alina's command, as before agreed upon?" Will pointed out, "Unless she feels the need to help resupply the ship."

"Actually, I don't. And you two will do fine to lead the grunt work." She smirked and crossed her arms in satisfaction.

Hector accepted this decision and pulled out his telescope, hopefully the island was close enough to see and the unfortunate side-stop could be taken care of quickly so they could get back on schedule. Jack came up next to him, purposefully extending his spyglass into a droopy telescope that was none the less longer than Hectors and Brandy, who had chosen to follow Alina instead of wait, could not suppress her laughter, "Nice Jack. I think Barbossa still wins." She winked and followed her friend back to the cabin.

"So, Hector Barbossa?" Alina smirked, plopping herself in a chair and crossing her ankles at the corner of the desk. She laced her fingers behind her head, "What would you like to discuss?"

"Oh come on, don't make this harder than it is." Brandy groaned, sinking to the bed, her head down and arms dangling between her spread knees.

"Make what harder?" Alina asked innocently.

"Gah!" She swung her arms out and stared at the ceiling, "I like him, okay? I really, _really _like him."

"And?"

"And?!" She violently swung her head in Alina's direction, "What do I do?! I've never been in this position before! What do I say? Do I even say anything? Or do I wait and see what he does or says like some pathetic little nitwit singing all alone about true love's kiss? Help me!"

"You do what you feel is best, what position exactly are you in? You say something only if you want to and waiting for him to make the first move doesn't make you pathetic…unless you actually start singing. In which case we may need an intervention."

"The position of actually liking a wonderful man as more than just a friend or a bedmate, and gross, I didn't mean I'd actually sing about it, I was making a point."

"You've never been in a relationship before?"

"Not really. I mean I've had offers but I've never felt this way before. I came close once, but the guy was a complete cad so I punched him in the neck and never spoke to him again."

"The neck?" Alina cocked an eyebrow.

"I've found that people can't really chase after you if they can't breathe."

"The validity of your argument scares me just a bit."

"Oh, relax, I've only ever done it three, no four times tops."

"Right."

"Alina!" Brandy groaned, flopping backwards and spreading her arms out, "What If he doesn't like me back? What if he laughs at me? What if he can't stand to be around someone as weird as me? I mean seriously! I've got purple _in my hair_ for God's sake!"

"He does, he won't, and he can! He's already dealt with me and Jack, and I have it on good authority that he likes the color purple."

"So I should just suck it up and talk to him?"

"Yup."

Brandy sighed in defeat, "Any advice on what to do after?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly basking in romantic bliss right now."

"Good point. I'm sorry I interrupted you guys earlier, it's just – he was just being so sweet, and he started going on about how piracy pulled to him for the freedom but he started thieving to support his dad – did you know his mum died when he was just a boy? And that his father was so heartsick, he couldn't do anything? He was like a vegetable." Alina's face deadpanned and Brandy smacked her own forehead, "Of course you knew, you're practically related."

"Look Brandy, it's fine. You didn't really interrupt anything, but hey! Hector's opening up to you! Further proof that he does like you."

"Really? That _is_ a good point." Brandy sat up again and tapped her chin before she processed what Alina had said, "What do you mean I didn't interrupt anything? Why wasn't Jack limping when he walked out of here?"

Alina paused before releasing a long breath, "I don't know. There's just something not right with him."

"You're telling me?" Brandy crossed her arms with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Seriously, Brandy. He started acting like he was six again. He even spoke like a child! He called me Ali-bear and sang this ridiculously adorable song he once made up to remember my birthday."

"Weird."

"For some reason the Locker affected him more than it did me. He saw imaginary people, he started clucking like a chicken; he even sidled up to an imaginary goat!"

Brandy choked on her laughter, "You realize you probably shouldn't have told me that, right?"

"Brandy." Alina sighed again.

"Honestly speaking though it makes sense."

"How do you mean?"

"Well Jones's Locker is mean to be the most brutal torture imaginable, yes?"

"Aye."

"Well Tweety-Bird prides himself on his quick wit and the fact that he can work himself out of almost any situation so the best way to torture him is to take that ability away."

"But why wasn't I tortured in the Locker?"

"Well maybe Squidy isn't all heartless. The only reason you were even in that place to begin with was your loyalty to an idiot so maybe Jones punished him for the both of you. And the severity of the punishment could be the reason it's still affecting him? I can't imagine that Jones would be too happy about him condemning someone with him instead of taking it like a man-bird."

"Well he still technically punished me because now I have to watch the man I love slowly deteriorate into a mass of bones, flesh, and brain goo."

"Well you were still in the Locker, you can't just ignore the fact that you were in punishment too."

"But I'm still being punished." Alina pouted childishly.

"Well who said I had all the answers?!" Brandy growled, pointing a finger in Alina's direction, "Maybe Tentacles assumed you would find someone else and move on so Jack could fulfill his own punishment."

"Really? That's what you think goes through Jones's mind? Or is that going through your mind?"

"So maybe I think on the same wavelength as a mythical reaper, it's not a crime. And you _can_ do better."

"Well maybe I'm just too bloody stupid to want better." Alina threw her hands up before slamming her head down on the desk.

"Wow." Brandy sighed, "You're right." When Alina looked up in confusion, cocking her head like a dog, she continued, "I should _not_ ask you for relationship advice."

Whatever Alina's angry retort would have been was cut off as the cabin was stormed and the two women were hauled from their seats and roughly dragged on deck, their arms held behind them.

Alina growled.

_Someone was just begging to get run through._

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><p><strong>IMPORTANT: <strong>I know a lot of you were hoping I'd nail Jack for how he's been acting but I hope it's been explained what's going on in this chapter. Because Jack has Alina in my story, it didn't make sense for him to simply want immortality for the sake of being immortal or being the most feared pirate captain. I'm playing with creative license to make it more of a mental regression - a child wants what he wants because he wants it. So it now becomes Alina's task to get him out of it. Can she do it? Maybe ;) Or maybe Jack comes to his senses on his own? PLEASE LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT THIS. It's not the normal take on Jack, and I was a little worried about posting this but when I tried to write Alina being aggressive or Jack just being Jack, it didn't click as well with me as this idea did. Thank you :)

**ThePurpleness: **Hope I didn't disappoint you too much with the lack of beat down lol.


	7. Conspiracies Amuck

**sheepish grin** sorry for the wait

**A/N: **And so begins the MAJOR canon changes. If you don't like it, I'm sorry. But I've twisted canon in such a way that this story will wrap up nicely without going on to the fourth movie. Enjoy!

**Thank you - **QueenOfWeird1995 , AdaYuki, xthe-tobi-showx and ThePurpleness

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><p>As Alina was hauled on deck, she noticed Hector and Jack being led aboard as well. <em>Ambush<em>, she though. Suddenly, listening to Will's idea on where to restock seemed incredibly stupid. She and Hector both smelled something foul about him.

"Sao Feng." Hector glared, "You showing up here, 'tis truly a remarkable coincidence."

"Jack Sparrow." Sao Feng ignored the seasoned pirate and focused on his more fool-hardy companion, "You paid me great insult once."

Alina looked at the man Jack had told her about. Back when he had first learned of her reputed death…

_Jack Sparrow was not as ignorant as the world assumed him to be. He knew the curse of the Deep Sea Opal and he knew Sao Feng would try to cheat him of his vial of Shadow Gold, should the bloody thing actually be in his possession, but his perceived ignorance worked in his favor because the more the world took advantage of him, the sooner he'd be chased away forever. The sooner he'd join his little Ali-Bear. Jack had never really been one to fear Death, having cheated him so many times before, but after having Death take the two most important women in his life, he looked for ways to invite him._

_So began his quest for immortality._

_What better way to invite Death to take him than to taunt the bugger? Than to scream to Hades that he was smarter than the reaper?_

_He allowed Sao Feng to believe he was falling for the ruse. As if he didn't know the cowardly bastard planned to use the opal to backstab his own brother and claim his lordship. He didn't care anymore. He'd be whoever's pawn, he'd fight whatever monster, and he'd piss off as many cutthroats he could. Life without Alina just wasn't worth it anymore so despite the protests of his first mate, he acted in the best interest of one all-consuming thought; _Let's see who can do me in first. _Meanwhile, he buried his grief in the willing bed of Sao Feng's concubines when the bimble-brained fob sent them with him to ensure his allegiance. _

_They may have been deadly in battle, but they were still sinfully loose and flirtatious women._

_After having procured the opal, he held it just out of reach of Sao Feng. He knew the cad couldn't just take it from him. It had to be gifted. He wanted the Shadow Gold. That vial would start his next quest, one that was sure to end in failure, to defeat the Shadow Lord. But of course, things are never that simple. The craven, rump-fed joithead told him it was with his brother, and he would only take him if he had the opal at his disposal._

_Knowing Sao Feng would do no such thing, he threw the opal at him, and in the man's confused dive to catch it, Jack whipped out his sword and carved his name in the semblance of a Chinese character on his scalp. He returned to his ship and sailed for Hong Kong to seek guidance in Mistress Ching, who headed the Pirate Confederation of China. _

Sao Feng's fist colliding with Jack's face brought Alina back to the matter at hand, "Shall we just call it square then?" Jack muttered around the hand clutching his throbbing nose.

Alina narrowed her eyes at the sorry excuse of a man, only striking when Jack was incapable of fighting back. In her distraction, she almost failed to notice Will push through the pirates surrounding her and command Sao Feng to release Elizabeth, "She's not part of the bargain."

"And what bargain be that?" Hector growled.

"You heard Captain Turner." Sao Feng smirked, "Release her."

"_Captain_ Turner?" Alina snarled, "What the bloody hell does he mean, _Captain_ Turner?" Sao Feng eyed her curiously before Gibbs answered her.

"The perfidious rotter led a mutiny against us!" Evidently, Alina's method of insultation had begun to rub off on the others.

"I need the _Pearl_ to free my father, that's the only reason I came on this voyage." Will supplied.

"Why didn't you tell me you were planning this?" Elizabeth stormed over to him when the pirates released her.

"It was my burden to bear." He snapped back.

"He needs the _Pearl_." Jack couldn't bear to be silent anymore, "_Captain_ Turner needs the _Pearl_. And you felt guilty," he shot to Elizabeth. "And you," he turned to Hector, "and your Brethren Court. Did no one come to save me- us," he corrected, "just because they missed us?" Alina rolled her eyes when only Marty, Cotton, Pintel, and Ragetti raised their hands. Though she couldn't help but smirk when Jack the monkey joined in. "I'm standing over there with them." Sao Feng grabbed the back of his shirt before he could move.

"I'm sorry Jack, but there is an old friend who wants to see you first."

"I'm not certain I can survive any more visits from old friends," he gulped. He had purposely set out to be killed at one point in his life; he never expected to have something to live for again.

"Here is your chance to find out." Sao Feng breathed in his face and forcefully turned his head to see the HMS_ Endeavour _sailing towards them. A quiet gasp escaped Alina at the sight, but it was enough to once again capture the attention of the pirate lord of Singapore, "Just who are you?"

"Captain Alina Carter." She growled through her teeth ignoring Hector's furious hand gestures.

"Captain of what?" Feng chuckled.

"Half captain of the ship you currently disgrace with your presence. _The Black Pearl._" She supplied upon his blank expression.

"So the _us_, Sparrow mentioned, be you and him. Back from the locker."

"Would appear so, wouldn't it?"

"You are not a pirate lord. How is it Davy Jones would see fit to release you as well?"

"You honestly think Davy Jones wanted to release him either?" She cocked her brow, "You must be terribly asinine, how is it exactly you've made it this far in life?"

"Then enlighten me, fair maiden. How is it that you escaped the hellish pit?"

"Wouldn't you like to know? I'll stick ta this: I 'ave me ways, an' if ya call me fair maiden again I'll not 'esitate ta finish the job someone started on yer face." Her words were punctuated by the slap of a gangplank connecting the _Endeavour _to the _Pearl_.

Hector used the confusion of boarding to try and inform Alina of his intentions, "Listen ta me, 'cause ya canno' escape it now. I've got a plan and thanks ta yer outburst, yer now a part of it."

"What plan?"

"Calypso." He managed before the majority of confusion abided. Jack had been escorted to the _Endeavour_, and Will had been beaten and restrained. While Sao Feng's attention was on Beckett's man, Hector stared hard at Alina and gestured towards Sao Feng while stroking the necklace he wore. When he saw she was still slightly confused he huffed and then made a circle with his thumb and forefinger and tapped his head before pointing to Sao Feng once more and stroking his necklace. Alina's eyes widened slightly at what he was trying to tell her.

"Shame they're not bound to honor the code of the Brethren isn't it?" Hector taunted Sao Feng, "Because honor's a hard thing to come by nowadays."

"There is no honor to remaining with the losing side. Leaving for the winning side, that's just good business."

"The losing side, you say?"

"They have the _Dutchman_, now the _Pearl_! And what have the Brethren left?"

Hector leaned forward, widened his eyes dramatically and in a conspiratory whisper, "We have Calypso."

Alina thanked her lucky stars that she had perfected her poker face early on with Jack, because she so wanted to laugh at Hector's ridiculous mannerisms. She noticed Sao Feng's eyes roam over the three females present (disregarding Tia Dalma). He passed over Elizabeth, lingered slightly on Brandy, as if remembering something, and then fully rested on Alina, whose eyes narrowed into slits as her nostrils flared.

"Calypso!" Sao Feng scoffed, "An old legend." He watched Alina's reaction carefully and noticed Brandy jerk in surprise next to her.

"No." Hector drew out hauntingly, "The goddess herself, bound in human form. Imagine, all the power of the seas brought to bear against our enemy." He moved slightly to Feng's side so that the entire crew was in his sights and glanced quickly towards Alina, "I intend to release her, but for that I need the Brethren Court. All the court."

"Really?" Brandy sighed, drawing the attention of just about everyone, "First you tell me about the creepy moonlit skeletons, then we're off for the heart of Davy Jones, then the stupid squid-face's locker itself, and now there's an all-mighty sea-goddess? What's next? Is bird-boy actually going to fly? What?" She asked when she noticed them all staring at her, "You didn't expect me to stay quiet during the _whole_ debacle did you?"

Sao Feng shook his head in disbelief, "What are you proposing, Captain?"

"What be accepting, Cap'n?"

"The girl." He smirked.

"What?" All three looked in shock.

"Not you." He hissed at Elizabeth, "One of them." Elizabeth may have been beautiful but she did not have the necessary fire that assured him of Calypso. It had to be one of the other two. Captain Carter, or the strange one with purple hair.

"Which girl?" Hector squinted in irritation. If Brandy had just stayed quiet she'd be safe, but now he had to play on Sao Feng's belief that he could read people's subtle twitches without being deceived.

"Both."

"What use could you possibly have of both?"

"One of them must know who the other is." He smirked.

Alina used this moment to intervene, "And you're not clever enough to figure it out yourself? I knew you truly never deserved lordship, that you can't recognize the nature of the sea."

"And what nature is that?"

"Liang Dao would have known."

Sao Feng breathed heavily through his nose and his lips tightened to a grimace, "Her."

"Out of the question." Hector stiffened his back while mentally thanking the gods that Alina had pulled that knowledge out of a hat.

"It was not a question." Sao Feng snapped his fingers and Alina was escorted gently, though forcefully to the _Empress_, whose crew had begun firing at the _Endeavour_ in retaliation of Beckett's broken promise.

When they were both out of sight, Hector pulled Brandy close, "Next time there be deadly persons about, just think the words ta yerself instead o' drawing their attention, aye?" He whispered in her ear.

Brandy shivered and opened her mouth for a snarky reply, only to hear Jack's ape-man scream. "Oh great goddess, he's actually flying." She whispered.

The crew rushed to the side of the ship to see where the splash had landed him before noticing that he had released the free-flying cannon and was resting against the stern lantern, "And that was without even a single drop of rum." Hector stormed over to the helm as Jack jumped down, annoyed that the bastard had made it off clean.

"Where's Alina?" He demanded, noticing she wasn't among them. When the majority of the crew simultaneously turned their heads to look anywhere but at him, his face morphed into cold, dead stare. He stalked to William Turner and monotonously growled, "Send this pestilent, traitorous, cow hearted, yeasty codpiece to the brig."

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><p>Note: You should all thank my love of wine for this update, because I made a deal that if this chapter was not up by midnight tonight, I would not be allowed wine for two whole weeks (and I just bought a bottle of my favorite brand).<p>

...

That didn't make me sound like an alcoholic at all XD

Review please!


	8. Lord Calypso

**Thanks to: **xInfinitex , QueenOfWeird1995 , and ThePurepleness

**Additional Disclaimer: **I do not own the poem, I don't know when it was written but it was written by Li Bai, a Chinese poet who lived from 701-762AD during the Tang dynasty.

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><p>It was safe to say that Alina was disgruntled. After having been dragged onto the <em>Empress<em> and quarantined in Sao Feng's cabin (which, judging by the sheer size and extravagance of it, was probably the only cabin on board), she was forcibly stripped by the man's two concubines (because God forbid he go anywhere without them), and redressed in a robe fit for a princess. Granted, it was not the worst thing she had been forced to do by an assailant, but she still did not appreciate the infraction upon her person.

Just as she lifted an arm to examine the intricate design-work on the billowy sleeve, she heard Sao Feng approach, reciting something in Chinese. His eyes roamed her form, resting on the pompous headpiece that, although beautiful, was squeezing her brain into numbness. He clapped his hands twice, dismissing his women and continued his poetry, circling her slowly.

"Pretty sounds, do they mean anything?" She pursed her lips and glared.

Sao Feng smirked, clasping his hands behind his back he continued to circle her but with his gaze affixed to the ceiling, "_I will ride the winds and surmount endless waves. Setting sail on the vast ocean, I will one day reach the distant shores._ It is called The Difficult Path, and was written many years ago. I find it oddly appropriate given our circumstance."

"Circumstance?" She crossed her arms.

"By this time tomorrow we will arrive at Shipwreck Cove and you will be free," he paused before eyeing her curiously, "Calypso."

Alina narrowed her eyes and huffed.

He seemed pleased by her reaction, "Not the name you fancy I imagine, out of the many that you have, but it is what we call you."

"We?" She eagerly took one step toward him, playing her role to convince him of her want for blood.

"You confirm it." He grinned and bit into a tea leaf.

"Confirmed what?" She stepped back once more though she left the bite of malice in her words, "You've given me nothing to confirm, I merely wonder as to the identity of the perpetrators who would dare _fool _themselves into believing they could double-cross…her." She calmed once more.

"The Brethren Court – not I, the _first_ Brethren Court, whose decision I would have opposed," he slammed his hand just above her head as if to convince her of his hatred, "they bound you to human form so the rule of the seas would belong to man!" Shaking with rage, he unclenched his hands and moved to grasp her shoulders from behind, stopping himself just before he touched her.

"And I am to believe that is not what you would have wanted were you given the choice?" She turned her head to face him, "I am to believe you would have been content bowing to and praying for mercy from a _woman_?"

"One such as you," he whispered, "should never be anything less than what you are. I have no qualms against bowing to…a goddess."

"And yet you would proudly carry with you, the very talisman that bound her?"

"Because it is only through the collective burning of the pieces that bound you- her," he corrected when she narrowed her eyes once more, "that she can be free. Simply destroying mine would mean having to carry the ashes for the rest of my life until they can be joined with the ashes of the rest."

"From one prison to another," she lamented.

"But it is my intent to free you."

"And in return? What would you ask of her?"

"I would have your-forgive me, _her_ gifts. Should she choose to give them of course."

"And what if I should ask, on her behalf of course, for you to prove your worth?" She stood almost nose to nose, staring deep into his eyes, "Prove to me, that you wish to free her."

He lifted his hand to hover by her cheek, "How?"

"Show me." She whispered trailing a finger nail up the column of his neck, delighting in the way his skin bobbed at her touch, "If I am her, I ask that you give me the respect in showing me that which binds me to this insignificant shape and form." She took a small step back, "And if I am not her, I ask that you show me still, how it is you intend to free her should you get the chance. For in this moment I speak for her."

Sao Feng lay one palm against the wood near her head and leaned in, ripping a monkey fist necklace from his neck with his other hand, he showed it to her, "This," he hissed, "this is my burden to bear for you. I carry this with me, until the day I can free you from these bonds. You do not fool me, Calypso. You are the sea. All men are drawn to you, perilous though you may be. Sparrow is vexed by you, Beckett's man asks for you, Barbossa tries to protect you, and I…I am drawn like all others." His lips brushed hers as he spoke and she fought to hide her disgust, "I ask that you honor me, before I free you."

"And what makes you think you are worthy?" She pushed him away and walked to the other side of the cabin, "You are nothing to me until your promise is fulfilled; I do not bribe men to do my bidding. I reward them after the fact."

Sao Feng began to follow, "I am not a patient man, and when such a bounty is placed before me, I would be fool to ignore. If you will not bestow your gifts, then I can take your fury." Right as he stepped to the middle of the room a cannon fired, blasting away the wall to his right and crashing into him.

Alina, who had ducked down and covered her head to avoid major injury, stepped forward once the debris somewhat settled, "Sao Feng?" She gasped at the plank protruding from his chest.

"Here," he croaked, holding out his hand, "please." As she stepped to him, he grasped her hand with as much force he could muster and pressed his talisman into it, "There are nine pieces that bind you. After this, only eight remain. Take it! You are captain now." With his last two breaths he muttered, "Forgive me."

Alina clasped the necklace in her fist and placed a gentle kiss on his forehead, "Travel in peace to the world beyond," she whispered before turning to Tai Huang, who had entered sometime after the cannon blast, "I'm sorry, but he's made me captain." Tai Huang removed his hat in respect for his friend but glared at her, no doubt she had stolen his rightful post. Regardless, she poked around the cabin until she found her sword. She was just about to climb the steps to join her new crew on deck when she was snatched from the doorway and once again made weaponless. She really hated being weaponless.

"Alina!" A familiar voice called her name.

"James?" Suddenly Sao Feng's words made more sense, Beckett's man must have been James Norrington.

"Release her!" He ordered the man behind her with a firm glare. She smirked and elbowed the man in his gut as she stepped forward to embrace her friend. He sighed in relief that Alina didn't hate him, "Thank God you're alive, I heard about the _Pearl_ and I didn't know what to think. Elizabeth?"

"She's fine. Well now anyway. I punched her out earlier, and I think she and Will might be on the outs since he bloody mutinied against us, and then when we found out about Mr. Swan, naturally she was devastated, but other than all that-"

"Wait, slow down. You punched her? Will did what? And what about the Governor, he was headed to England last I saw?"

"Mr. Swan is dead, James. No doubt killed for knowing too much."

"But I- I didn't. No! He-"

"Who among you do you name as captain?" Davy Jones demanded suddenly, his tentacles squirming less than an inch away from the nameless crewmen.

"Captain, her!" Tai Huang quickly supplied, pointing to Alina before the rest of the crew could name him in Sao Feng's absence.

"Captain?" Both James and Jones looked at her in astonishment. Jones face soon turned to confusion however as he stepped towards her and she gently placed a hand on James's arm when she saw he meant to interfere. "You? You're Sparrow's lass. The one that took on his debt." He took two more steps forward until he was directly in front of her, "Why would you do that?"

Alina considered her answer. At the time it was because she loved him, but now things were so strange between them, she wasn't sure if she still did. "I loved him." She finally admitted.

"Loved?"

"I'm not sure if I still do. I suppose I have you to thank for that. You tailor the punishment to the soul do you not?"

"Aye."

"The Locker changed him. He's not the man I knew any longer because his mind is still in your possession. He's been trying to fight you and come back to me but he's losing the battle!" Her voice began to crack, "And I'm losing him."

James stepped between Jones and Alina, "Tow the ship," he told Jones, "put the prisoners in the brig. The captain shall have my quarters."

"Thank you James, but I prefer to remain with my crew." She squeezed his shoulder to indicate no ill will towards him before standing beside Tai Huang who seemed to look at her with a new respect. James immediately understood her action and nodded his acceptance.

"I wonder, Captain," Jones interrupted once more, "would you permit me a word? There is a matter of your previous company I wish to address with you before you join your men. Admiral?" He cocked his head and bowed slightly, almost mockingly.

James gritted his teeth but refused Jones the satisfaction of seeing his ire, "If the lady permits, you may use _my_ cabin to discuss your affairs. I will be standing guard outside the door until you finish and you will return to your duty while I return her to her crew." He ordered.

Alina hesitated a moment but something in Jones's eyes made his otherwise unreadable face seem trustworthy so, taking a deep breath, she nodded once and stepped forward.

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><p><strong>Opportunity: <strong>I'm telling you right now, I'm not killing James. He is much too sweet a character to kill and I physically wanted to hurt Elizabeth when he died in the movie SO, I'm asking you how you want it handled. If anyone out there has a Norrington fandom, I'd be open to briefly introducing a love interest for him depending on how you present your case. If you'd like to be Norrington's lady and give him a happy ending then let me know, otherwise I'll have to figure something else out for him. He'll live...I just don't know how happy he'll be.


	9. Weaving the Web

**Thank yous to: **MissLini , ThePurpleness , and KylieAyn for your reviews :)

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><p>Having been returned to her new crew by James, Alina, wasting no more time dwelling on the deal she'd just made with whom she once thought the devil, initiated her plan to escape from the <em>Flying Dutchman.<em> Will's father had to be somewhere, and if it weren't for all the barnacles she'd probably be able to find him. She settled for looking like a complete idiot and simply asking every passer-by if they were Bootstrap.

"Bootstrap?" A voice called to her right, "You know my name." His head pulled forward, as if materializing from the very wall of the cell.

"Yes, I do. I'm Jack Sparrow's – "

"Sparrow," he interrupted, "isn't he dead yet? You. I know you. You're the one who softened him. The reason he was mutinied. The reason I was thrown to the depths!" An arm materialized too, swinging about as if to strike her.

Alina grasped onto him, stilling his movement and slicing her palms on the rough coral protruding from his leathery skin. "No, Bootstrap! Jack is alive. He is aboard the _Pearl_ headed for Shipwreck Cove with Barbossa. Including me, that makes three people who've all bested death once. Jack and I beat the Locker! And Will! Bootstrap, Will is doing everything he can to rescue you."

"Will? William!" The rest of his body came sliding from the wall, "He made it! He's alive, and now he sends you to tell me that he's coming to get me. Ha, ha! God's boons, he's on his way!"

Alina paused for a moment, her face flat, "Right. Well if he's going to rescue you, you have to rescue me, because he's going to need my help to do what needs done, savvy?"

"No?" Bootstrap looked at her carefully.

"What?"

"No. Not Jack's?" Referring to her stopping him earlier, "Then you're Elizabeth, which means Will can't help me. He won't come."

"Excuse me? I am not Elizabeth and I'll thank you not to refer to me as that malignant, shrill harpy again! I am Alina Carter, Captain Tobias Carter was my father, and I am currently Jack Sparrow's co-captain and possibly his significant other, although you never really can tell with him, can you? The point is William is coming for you because he loves you!"

"He loves Elizabeth."

"Probably to a lesser extent now." Alina mumbled.

"If Jones be slain, he who slays him must take his place. Captain forever. The Dutchman must always have a captain, and if he saves me, he loses you."

"Uh, no. Not me. Her. And he kind of already has."

"Her?"

Alina sighed and slammed her head against the bars behind her. "Elizabeth! I! Am! Not! Elizabeth!" She marched closer to Bootstrap and, once again ignoring the thorny surface of his skin, held onto his shoulders and glared into his almost-hollow eyes, "You claim he'll lose Elizabeth if he saves you but what if he's already lost? _What if_ he and Elizabeth are on the rocks and any manner of small discretion can tip the balance towards the end of their relationship and in your favor? _What if_ a certain someone, becoming increasingly agitated at this precise moment in time, has been looking for just the way to tip said balance as a way of destroying that fobbing, knotty-pated wagtail for wagging said tail at MY captain?"

Having her face pressed nose to nose with Bootstrap, Alina was able to see the smallest of twitches in his pupils. She had said all she possibly could to restore his hope and keep him from becoming absorbed by the ship, the rest he would have to do himself. She took a step back, releasing her clenched hands from their painful grasp and attempted to calm her heaving breaths.

"He's coming for me?"

She released a large breath through her nostrils, "He's coming for you."

"He promised."

"And he's a man of his word."

Bootstrap smiled and leaned back against the boards of the ship. As his arm began to meld once more, his face hardened and he snapped, "No!" He glared at the ship as if to challenge it, "William is coming for me. Wait and see! He promised." He crossed his arms, and when he leaned again, William Turner Sr. remained simply leaning against the wood.

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><p>On another ship, somewhat far, but still not too terribly far away, William Turner Jr. was taking the first step towards fulfilling his promise. Tying the victims of battle to empty stock barrels and throwing them overboard, he planned to lead Beckett right to Shipwreck Cove.<p>

"You escaped the brig even quicker than I expected." Jack remarked casually from his perch, not even flinching when Will aimed his pistol. "William, do you notice anything? Rather," he hopped down to stand face to face, "do you notice something that is not there to be noticed?"

Will looked up for a moment, only just noticing he was alone with the captain, "You haven't raised an alarm."

"Odd isn't it?" He waved his arm at the corpses and barrels, "Not as odd as this. Come up with this all by your lonesome did you?"

"I said to myself, think like Jack."

"This is what you've arrived at? Lead Beckett to Shipwreck so as to gain his trust, accomplish your own ends? It's like you don't know me at all, mate."

Will lowered his pistol, "Actually, I think I have you spot on."

Jack placed a hand to his heart, "Now that. Really hurts. How does your dearly beloved feel about this plan? Ahh, you've not seen fit to trust her with it."

Will scoffed at the irony, "Shouldn't you be questioning yourself?"

"What makes you think I don't? Why do you think no one's ever managed to catch me for long?" Will opened his mouth but Jack pressed on, "Because I always question myself, that's why. If I, myself, question my every move, then I, myself, won't know what that next move will be, and if I, myself, don't know what my next move will be than it stands to reason that neither will anyone else and if anyone can't predict what my next move will be it is impossible to predict when I'll do whatever it is because I haven't yet decided that I'll do it. Savvy?"

Will sighed, not bothering to question his special brand of logic, "I'm losing her, Jack. Every step I make for my father is a step away from Elizabeth."

"Mate, if you choose to lock your heart away, you'll lose her for certain. If I might lend a machete to your intellectual thicket? Avoid the choice altogether. Change the facts. Let someone else dispatch Jones."

"Who? You? You've not yet made the decision."

"Or have I? No I've not. Yes? No. You let me bear that cross."

"And if you suddenly decide not? What of my father then?"

"I find someone else to stab the heart and take the fall."

"And my father still remains imprisoned."

"Fine! I'll bring the bleeding thing to you to carry out yer suicide mission aye? I slip aboard the Dutchman and find the heart. Either I stab the beating thing then and there and your father goes free from his debt, or I change my mind, risk life and limb to bring it back to you, and you stab it and your father still goes free. Though at least by giving me the chance to make my choice, you get a fifty-fifty shot at reclaiming your charming murderess."

"And if you do stab the heart? You're willing to bind yourself to the Dutchman? Forever?" Will sheathed his dagger, hoping this new plan was liable.

"No mate. I'm free forever." His tone became wistful and his eyes glazed over, "Free to sail the seas beyond the edges of the map, free from death itself."

"You have to do the job though, Jack. You have to ferry the souls to the next world, or end up just like Jones."

"I don't have the face for tentacles," he said matter-of-factly, "but immortal has to count for something, eh?"

"And Alina? Do you honestly think she'd wait another ten years just for you?"

"You wound me mate, you really do. I have a plan for her too, besides. Oh!" He unfastened his compass and tossed it to Will.

"What's this for?"

Jack smirked and walked forward, backing will up against the rail, "Think like me, it'll come to you." He breathed profusely on Will's face, causing him to shuffle backwards and fall into the ocean below. Jack kicked a barrel after him, "My regards to Davy Jones!"

"I hate him." Will muttered.

* * *

><p>As the hustle and bustle of an active ship slowly died, Alina sat with her back against the bars of the brig, staring out the lonely window and counting the stars as they passed. <em>634.<em> She was beginning to lose hope that James would come through with his end of the escape. _635._ He was the wild card she couldn't predict. _636_. Was his duty to his sword more sacred than his duty to his loved ones? He was after all, born and raised in the military. _637._ She wouldn't blame him for backing out of course. _He's a smart man,_ _638_. The bars to her right suddenly opened, _then again, maybe not._

"Come with me." James hissed when the crew did not move, "Quickly!" At Alina's nod, they all shuffled out to the deck. "Beckett knows of the meeting of the Brethren," he grasped her arm, "I fear there may be a traitor among them."

"I know. And guess who the smarmy bastard is? But no matter, it works in our favor. Beckett may know that and where we meet, but he does not know why."

"Alina please, do not go to Shipwreck Cove, you'll be massacred."

"You speak as though you're not coming with us, Mr. Norrington."

"I'm not a pirate Miss Carter."

Alina turned from the last man scaling the rope to the _Empress_ and faced her friend. "James," her soft voice betraying her fright, "when pirates masquerade as honorable men, honorable men must learn to out-pirate their masters. Come with us, with me at least. They'll know you helped us, they'll murder you. I'll make sure to get you out in the end. You've no need to remain pirate once this war is had."

"Who goes there?" Bootstrap's voice called, "All hands! Prisoner escape!"

"It's too late now." James half unsheathed his sword but was stilled by Alina's hand on the blade.

"No it's not. It's all part of the plan." She had the confirmation she needed.

"What plan?" Before James could process anything more, Bootstrap materialized a pistol and shot at the ship's rail. Alina grabbed his wig with her bloodied hand and pushed him overboard before quickly smearing her hand over the splintered wood. Finally, she dropped the wig on deck and dove silently after him.

"The _Dutchman_ is under my command." Ian Mercer proclaimed with a smile.

Jones turned to hide his smirk and stormed from his cabin, _for now._

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><p><strong>AN: **Still looking for Norrington's happy ending after Alina makes good on her promise! Anyone?

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	10. Regarding the Brethren

**A/N:** I'll be completely honest. This update is happening quite by chance. Obviously I don't plan on abandoning this story...in face I guarantee that I will never do such a thing, but to be perfectly honest with you all, I had lost the will to update. I just completely forgot how much I loved this story. Not necessarily my writing it, but all the behind the scenes planning that goes into the world of Pirates of the Caribbean and all the history that's actually hidden in the script. Nevertheless my love is restored, and to prove it, here's 12 whole pages worth of chapter.

**Thank yous to:** KylieAyn (for being my most awesome reviewer and always making me smile), JohnnyDeppIsMine (I beg to differ love, but I'm willing to share =P), and storywriter1994

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><p>As Alina and James were making the <em>Empress<em> ready to sail, Jack, Hector, and the rest of the _Black Pearl_ were mere hours from Shipwreck Cove.

"Look alive and keep a weather eye," Gibbs called, "not for naught it's called Shipwreck Island, where lie Shipwreck Cove and the town of Shipwreck!"

"You know for all that pirates are clever clogs, we are an unimaginative lot when it comes to naming things." Jack pondered.

"Aye."

"I once sailed with a geezer lost both of his arms and part of his eye."

"What'd you call him?"

Jack gave pause as if unwilling to admit to the unimaginative name, "Larry."

"Well that's a fine name for a gentleman." Gibbs looked confused.

"Oh his name wasn't Larry," Jack called as he walked off, "that's just what I called him." Gibbs shook his head and turned to help the crew enter the cove safely.

On the other end of the ship, Hector and Tia Dalma were stuck in a heated debate, and to the untrained eye both were giving as good as they got. On the other hand, Brandy had gotten very good at Hector-watching, and saw not only the fear creep into his eyes as Tia Dalma grabbed his hand and he stared at something only he could see, but she also saw the moment his mind had been set. She saw the cogs in his head whirling and churning as he seemed to work out a master plan in mere seconds. More importantly, she saw the flicker between emotions, and knew doubt had begun to creep in. She chose this moment to approach.

"Masters Pintel and Ragetti! Take this fishwife to the brig." Hector spat as he passed the priestess along.

"Right this way, Mrs. Fish." Pintel snickered.

"Hector?" Brandy called gently, "Are you all right?"

"Course I'm alright, why wouldn't I be?" He sneered.

"I saw what happened Hector. I don't really understand what I saw. But I saw it."

"T'was nothing," he murmered, but she saw his eye twitch, "just a trick o' the old harpy." He gave a long sigh when he saw Brandy's stoic face and crossed arms, the girl was a bit like Alina. When she wanted answers, she wouldn't settle for anything less than a half truth hidden as the whole. _Of course_, should Alina ever discover she was only told a half truth, _she'd hunt ya down and get the whole, but that's only if discovered_, Hector shrugged and chuckled to himself, "She thinks she can outwit me a'cause she brought me back from the grave." He grumbled.

"Well," Brandy linked her arm through Hector's, "I'm sure between you and Alina, you'll find a way to prove her wrong."

"What about Jack?"

"Yea…let's not trust important matters of life or death to the bird-brain."

Hector chuckled as he slipped his arm from her grasp, choosing instead to sling it around her shoulder, "I knew I liked you." He grinned.

* * *

><p>"I cannot be summoned like some mongrel pup!" Davy Jones hissed at <em>Lord Cutler Beckett, pheh.<em>

"Apparently, you can." The man smirked, "I believe you know each other." He gestured to the man sitting with his back to him. William Turner smiled and raised his cup in cheers.

"A-ha-ha-ha. Come to join my crew again?"

"Not yours," Will gestured to Beckett, "his. Jack Sparrow sends his regards."

Jones smirked inwardly, using a great deal of effort not to reveal what all he knew, "Sparrow?"

Will turned to Beckett as if pitying Jones, "You didn't tell him?" He turned back to Jones with a small smirk, "We rescued Jack from the locker along with the _Black Pearl_."

"What else have you not told me?" Jones marched into Beckett's face, applauding his own skill as an actor. _Honestly these men, the locker is of my own design, the hell is of my choosing, I am the very soul of the sea itself, and they thought I wouldn't notice a new vessel come to life?_

"There is an issue far more troublesome." Beckett calmly explained, "I believe you're familiar with a person called Calypso?"

Jones did give a small, honest start at that. Not at the knowledge she lived. Of course he knew the moment she stepped off that pathetic little inland isle of hers. He knew the moment she graced the waters with her footsteps aboard a vessel. He knew second she had crossed into his hell with that unworthy crew, and felt the very pull and ache in his soul that drew him to her in the beginning, yearning again to keep her in the Locker, if only so she couldn't run away from him again. No, his surprise came at the shock of anger that spread through him at hearing the codswallop mention her name.

He shook himself out of his reverie, "Not a person, a heathen god. One who delights in cursing men with their wildest dreams and then revealing them to be hollow and naught but ash." He felt the searing pain of her betrayal once more, as if it were brand new. The hollowing of his chest, the literal locking away of his heart, did nothing to ease the agony of being ripped from the only thing in this world and the next that ever really mattered. Though it pained him to continue, he kept the pretense of knowing nothing, "The world is well rid of her."

"Not quite so well actually. The Brethren Court intends to release her."

"No, they cannot!" He feigned his terror, "The first court promised to imprison her forever! That was our agreement."

"Your agreement?" Beckett was slowly beginning to understand how much he did not know about the world of pirates and how they functioned.

Jones winced slightly. He had not meant to give the whelp his guilt. Of course he knew the hell that would be unleashed with Calypso, and while he was fully prepared to accept the consequences of his actions, he did not want the sea witch to have more ammunition against him. "I…showed them how to bind her. She could not be trusted, I…she gave me no choice!" He shook his head, refusing to dwell on that fateful day any longer, and resumed his act, "We must act before they release her."

"You loved her," Will smirked, "she's the one. And then you betrayed her."

Jones snapped, how _dare_ the whelp pretend to know what happened between them, "_She_ pretended to love me! _She _betrayed _me_!"

Will took a sip of his tea, "And after which betrayal did you cut out your heart, I wonder?"

Jones smacked the teacup out of Will's hand, "Do not _test_ me, boy!"

"I hadn't finished that." He then stood, "You will free my father," and turning to Beckett, "and you will guarantee Elizabeth's safety, along with my own and Alina Carter's." Will didn't know if his once friend would ever forgive him for what he had done to her, but he wouldn't leave her to the non-existent mercy of Lord Cutler Beckett and the East India Trading Company.

"Your terms are steep, Mr. Turner." Beckett turned his back on the boy, not wanting to show how this deal was beginning to trouble him, "We will expect fair value in return."

"The source of the pirates' hope, the very reason you tremble beneath your decorated coat, is Calypso. Calypso's aboard the _Black Pearl_. Jack has sailed the _Pearl _to Shipwreck Cove."

"And with you no longer aboard her, how do you propose to lead us there." Beckett huffed, tired of being told things he already knew and turning to face Will once more.

Will held up Jack's compass, the smirk having never left his face, "What is it _you_ want most, Cutler Beckett?"

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><p>The isle of Shipwreck was indeed named appropriately. As the crew sailed closer to the infrastructure at the center of the cove, a hideaway built entirely out of the carcasses of countless shipwrecks, they were in awe, not only of the impressive monument before them, but of the sheer number of pirates approaching.<p>

"Look at them all!"

"I'm impressed no one's tried to kill anyone yet." Brandy added to Pintel's dumbstruck remark.

"That be because our dear Cap'n Sparrow has not yet arrived." Hector chuckled.

Upon entering the hideaway, the _Pearl_'s crew immediately sidestepped the wounded globe blocking their way and moved to take their positions behind two chairs at the grand table where six pirate lords already sat. Hector pierced his sword into the Caspian Sea and, as the lord who convened the others, took his place at the head of the table, impatiently waiting for the others to acknowledge his presence.

Jack walked around the globe once, taking count of the lords already in attendance and noted that, of course, the one he wanted least of all but needed there most was the only one not yet in attendance. With a long-suffered sigh he stabbed his sword into the Caribbean Sea and leaned against it, watching the door with rapt attention, refusing to sit until Alina was back with him.

Hector rolled his eyes at the man he still considered a boy, but he could not conceal the glimmer of hope in his eye that Alina may just be able to pull him out of his idiocy and wind up with someone worthy of her devotion in the end. He also took note that Brandy seemed very comfortable standing just behind and to his right, rather than taking her place with the crew where she technically belonged. Even more curious was his inclination to keep her there, his reluctance to have her away from him even though, by right, he should have been the only lord to stand behind, or sit at this particular seat at the fourth only meeting of all the world's pirate lords. He shook himself of his stupor and moved to start the meeting, knowing Alina would be along shortly with Sao Feng in tow.

"As he who issued the summons," he began after banging a shackled ball to gain everyone's attention, "I convene this the fourth Brethren Court. To confirm your lordship and right to be heard, present now your pieces of eight, my fellow cap'ns."

As the lords each pulled out their "treasures", a snuff box, a playing card, broken bottle, tobacco cutters, Ragetti's wooden eye, Pintel could be heard questioning the pieces and turned to Gibbs, the master of stories for explanation.

"Sparrow!" Eduardo Villanueva called when all but he had presented their piece.

"Might I point out," Jack turned from the door, glaring at Hector for beginning the meeting already, "that we are still short one pirate lord? And I am as content as a cucumber to wait until Sao Feng joins us."

"Sao Feng is dead." Alina's voice called from the doorway and Jack, in an exasperated flail of his arms, pivoted to look incredulously at the woman who would of course only enter once his back was turned. "He fell to the _Flying Dutchman_."

"The plagued ship!" Mistress Ching's voice rose above the terrified chatter of the others. The entire population of pirates in the room had sneaking suspicion as to why Hector Barbossa had called them together, and now that Alina had confirmed Davy Jones himself had killed one of their leaders, they were even more reluctant to hear him out. Alina, ignoring their collective outrage, marched toward the imposing sphere, unsheathed her sword, and with a dramatic twirl of her wrist, plunged her blade into the South China Sea.

"He made _you_ captain?!" Jack and Hector chimed together.

Alina's sharp whistle pierced the air, forcing silence among the room, "Jones is under the command of Lord Beckett. We've been betrayed. The EITC is on their way here, armed to the teeth."

"Who is the betrayer." Gombo Jocard stood, slapping his hand on the table in outrage.

Hector scoffed, "Not likely anyone among us."

"Where's Will?" Elizabeth called, finally having made her way around the room and having not spotted her elusive fiancé.

"Not among us." Jack told her with an apologetic glance.

"And it matters not how they found us," Hector gestured for them all to calm down, "the question is, what will we do now that they have?"

Elizabeth stepped forward, infuriated by the implication that Will would betray them, well betray her anyway, and team up with Beckett, "We fight!"

There was not even a moment of silence before laughter erupted from every mouth but those of the _Black Pearl_. Alina rubbed a tired hand over her face before snatching the dirtied neckerchief off a random pirate and stuffing it in Elizabeth's mouth. "_You_ are not a pirate lord. _You _have no piece of eight. _You_ barely register as a pirate at all, let alone any low lying member of the Brethren Court. _You. Do. Not. Speak._"

"Shipwreck Cove is a fortress." Mistress Ching interrupted with a smirk, "A well supplied fortress. There is no need to fight if they cannot get to us."

Alina turned her steely gaze to the overly smug idiot, "No matter how well supplied, we will eventually lose out to an armada. They need only send out a handful of ships with a minimal crew to resupply and maintain an impenetrable barricade therefore we must take action."

"And there be a third course to consider." Hector piggy-backed, "In another age at this very spot, the first Brethren Court captured the sea goddess and bound her in her bones." He circled the table slowly, clenching his fist and bowing slightly to level his head between Sri Sumbhajee and Chevalle, "That was a mistake. Oh, we tamed the seas for ourselves, aye, but opened the door to Beckett, and his ilk!" He continued his circling, gauging those who would agree with him versus those he knew would need convincing, "Better were the days when mastery of seas came not from bargains struck with eldritch creatures," he made his way back to the head chair and throwing an arm around Alina's shoulders, "but by the sweat of a man's brow," he grunted slightly at the elbow dug into his side and amended his following statement, "and the strength of his _or her_ back alone." Hector slung his second arm around Brandy's waist and pulled her to his side, "Ya'll know this to be true! Gentlemen, Ladies," He gave pause for dramatic effect, "we must free Calypso."

This time there was pause as the pirates all meditated on the words of Hector Barbossa. He made a fair point. Binding Calypso had hailed a new age of piracy, a golden age, but the ability to rule the seas independently, the ease with which pirates encroached upon the rest of the world, diminished the pride they felt. Took half the fun of piracy away. It almost wasn't worth it anymore to be a pirate at all.

But to free Calypso?

"Shoot him!" Ammand suddenly called out.

"Cut out his tongue!" Jocard added.

"Shoot him _and_ cut out his tongue." Jack smiled, "And then shoot his tongue…and trim that scraggly beard."

"Sao Feng would have agreed with Barbossa!" Tai Huang supplied, speaking for his deceased lord.

Gentlemen Jocard stood, "Calypso was our enemy then, she will be our enemy now!"

"And it's unlikely her mood's improved." Chevalle followed.

"I would still agree with Sao Feng." Vallenueva looked to Tai Huang, "We release Calypso!"

Alina rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, knowing her right to speak for Sao Feng was not important to them. The rest of the lords and their crews broke into riot, flinging bottles and boxing each other about the ears, not willing to risk killing a lord in the melee, they kept their blades sheathed and their pistols locked. Hector, seeing the opportunity, jumped onto the cleared table and raised his pistol, firing into the air and effectively stopping the brawl.

"It was the first court what imprisoned Calypso. We should be the ones to set her free, and in her gratitude she will see fit to grant us boons."

"Whose boons?" Jack interrupted, finally speaking, "Your boons? Utterly deceptive twaddlespeak says I."

"If you have a better alternative," Hector spat, stepping down from the table, "please, share."

Jack paused for a moment, a childlike look of confusion sweeping his face before he smiled and said, "Cuttlefish." He looked around at the confused faces all turned to him, "Eh? Let us not, dear friends, forget our…dear friends..the cuttlefish." Jack approached Mistress Ching, carefully putting his hands on her shoulders to represent his response to her course of action, but being wary of the two guards watching him intently, "Flipper, penurious, little sausages. Hang 'em up together and they will devour each other without a second thought. Human nature isn't it? Or…fish nature? So yes, we could hole up here well provisioned and well armed, and half of us would be dead within the month," he squeezed Ching's shoulders slightly, "which seems rather grim to me any way you slice it.

"Or," he moved to Vallenueva, who was in full support of Barbossa, "as my learned colleague so naively suggests, we can release Calypso, and we can pray that she will be merciful." He dipped his head as if to make a side comment to one of Vallenueva's men but kept his voice even so all could hear, "I rather doubt it." He stood up again, spreading his arms to address the whole room, "Can we in fact pretend that she is anything other than a woman scorned like which fury hell hath no?" Lowering his arms again, he walked a few more steps until he was standing directly opposite Barbossa and continued, "We cannot. Res ipsa loquitur, tabula in naufragio." He smiled and looked at the faces around him, frowning again when no one understood the clever words he just spoke, but smiling again when he saw Alina smack her forehead, "we are left with but one option. I agree with, and I cannot believe the words are coming out of my mouth, Elizabeth Swann. We must fight."

"You beslubbering, pottle-deep, whorer!" Alina slapped her hands on the table and made to leap forward. Hector quickly pulled her back so she couldn't actually throttle the man, and received an elbow to the gut in thanks.

"You've always run away from a fight!" He glared at Jack, his voice slightly winded.

"Have not!" Jack shot back.

"You have so!"

"Have not!"

"You have so!"

"Have not!"

"You have so and you know it, you craven troglodyte!" Alina smacked at Hector, wriggling to free herself from Hector's tight grip.

"Have not, slander and calumny." He frowned. Surely Alina should be able to follow his train of thought. He was not agreeing with Elizabeth because she was Elizabeth, he was agreeing with her because it offered them a way out. Staying meant certain death, either by 'friendly' fire, by starvation, or by Beckett's men. They had to fight their way out! Why couldn't Alina see that? Why was Alina no longer on the same thought pattern as he was? Why did they no longer understand each other? And why was she so determined to see the worst in him? He shook his head, dispelling the evil thoughts, everything was fine. Everything would_ be_ fine.

"I have only ever embraced that oldest and noblest of pirate traditions. I submit that here now, that is what me all must do. We must fight…to run away." He waggled his eyebrows at the revelation of his brilliant plan.

"Aye!" Gibbs immediately called, earning the repeated chime from the rest of the lords.

"As per the code," Hector crossed his arms and eyed Jack with smug satisfaction, "an act of war, and this be exactly that, can only be declared by the pirate king."

"You made that up!" Jack pouted.

"Did I now?" He said slowly, patronizingly nodding his head along with his words before smirking, watching Jack's face intently, "I call on Cap'n Teague, Keeper of the Code."

Jack's face twisted immediately. How could he face the man who warned him against becoming the very man he had become? Teague had never wanted his son to go soft, but by the strict old man's world view, Jack had gone true lily-livered. And Jack did not want his da to know about Alina. True the man was probably listening to the whole thing, he'd probably seen and heard Alina, but no one had yet said her name, and he doubted his da would recognize the little girl who died as the grown woman, now captain.

Sumbhajee nudged the man to his right who promptly stood, "Sri Sumbhajee proclaims this all to be folly! Hang the code! Who cares a-"

Captain Teague stood at the balcony of one of the many inward facing ships that made up the walls of their fortress and blew at the end of his pistol, having just shot dead the man who questioned the code. "The code is law." He walked down to the table, curiously eyeing the girl standing behind Sao Feng's chair. Her attitude was familiar, but her mannerisms were off. There was something upsetting the girl, throwing her off her mark. It struck Teague as odd that she had said so little over the course of events. "You're in my way, boy."

Two old codgers brought forth the _Pirata Codex_ and rested it gently on the table of lords before Teague whistled sharply, and the scruffy dog that once held the keys to Port Royal's jails now trot forward with the single key to unlocking the original code set forth by pirates, Morgan and Bartholomew.

"Wait…that can't…how did-?" Ragetti stumbled as he recognized the dog they had left at the cannibal island what seemed like eons ago.

"Sea turtles mate." Teague smirked propping himself against a chair, but not quite sitting on it. The dog barked twice in agreement.

"Oh good god, the story's hereditary." Alina rubbed the bridge of her nose, much to the amusement of those who knew Jack's relation.

"Who exactly are you, child?" Teague looked at her suspiciously.

"Aww, I'm hurt you don't remember me, Captain." Alina put an exaggerated hand to her heart.

"Da-"

"Jacky." Teague cut him off.

"Teague?" Alina smirked, calling his name in a baby voice with a sing-song inflection and cocking her head like a puppy dog.

Those closest to his end of the table heard his gasp as he realized who stood before him, "Lina?" At her salute, Teague fell out of his chair. He barely registered the floor as it smacked him in the face before he was standing once more, clearing his throat and skimming through the words written before him as if nothing had happened at all. "Ah, Barbossa is right."

"Hang on a minute," Jack smirked, holding up a finger and about to comment on what his father had just done. Teague's head snapped to look at Jack, who gulped under the icy glare that could wither a garden. He instead lowered his finger to the ancient text and read aloud, "It shall be the duties of the king to declare war…parler with shared adversaries…fancy that."

"There has not been a king since the first court," Captain Chevalle said, "and that's not likely to change."

"Not likely." Teague agreed.

"Why not?" Elizabeth whispered to Gibbs, daring not to speak louder for fear of what Alina would do to her.

"The pirate king is elected by popular vote," Gibbs informed, "but only the lords have the right to vote amongst themselves."

"And each pirate only ever votes for hisself." Hector looked at Jack with a pointed look that clearly said he had thought everything through in advance. They would not simply march out to war against the Company.

"I call for a vote." Jack called, earning a derisive snort from most of the lords. Teague turned to sit in a corner chair, away from the madness, plucking at the strings of his guitar as he came to terms with the knowledge that Alina Carter was alive, his son had found her again.

"I vote for Ammand, the Corsair!"

"Captain Chevalle, the Penniless Frenchman."

"Sri Sumbhajee votes for Sri Sumbhajee."

"Yes because the man who refuses to speak for himself would make a great king." Alina snorted, contemplating how events could turn out.

"Mistress Ching."

"Gentleman Jocard."

Hector saw Alina's hunched pose, saw her nibbling her bottom lip and playing with her thumbnail against her teeth, and knew she was planning her vote. He stepped forward and took her turn before anyone could pressure her to make her choice quickly, "Barbossa." He threw mockingly at Jack, who glared having seen him allow Alina to skip her turn.

"Vallenueva."

Jack looked at Alina, his gaze zeroing in, his emotions bubbling to the top, clouding his eyes and praying she understood his intentions and his plan like she always used to, "Alina Carter."

"What?" Her head jerked up immediately hearing her name where she should have heard Jack's. The entire room stood still, no one daring to make a sound just yet. Jack smiled at her, waving his hand indicating she was the only one left. That all she needed to do was say her name and she would be king. The first king since the first Brethren Court. The first female king ever.

Alina took a deep breath, looking Jack straight in the eyes. She squared her shoulders, lifted her chin, and proudly declared, "Hector Barbossa."

* * *

><p><strong>Note:<strong> Ha-HA! I bet you didn't see THAT coming now did ya? Be honest now, did ya? And don't worry, I didn't forget about ol' Norry, we'll see him in the next chapter ;)

Reviews let me know I'm not making horrible mistakes here!


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